Prince George's County Council's Committee of the Whole voted unanimously Tuesday to recommend CB-1-20-25, an ordinance to establish a Compensation Review Commission to study current compensation and allowances for council members and recommend compensation for the county executive.

County staff member Kathy Canning told the committee the ordinance would implement appointment authority in the county charter and state law and set the commission's membership and duties. “CB 1 20 25 is a bill that provides for the establishment of its members,” Canning said, summarizing the draft ordinance's structure and statutory basis.

The draft cites Charter Section 308 and Charter Section 406 of the Charter of Prince George's County for the council and county executive appointment roles, and it references the Local Government Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland to authorize a county ordinance establishing a compensation commission. Canning described the proposed commission as a seven-member body: three members appointed by the county council, three appointed by the county executive and one chair jointly agreed upon by the county executive and the chair of the county council.

An attorney from the Office of Law told the committee the legislation had been reviewed for form and legality. “We've had the opportunity to review CB 1 and find it to be legally sufficient and in proper legislative form,” the Office of Law representative said.

Secunda Skinner of the County Executive's Office told the committee the county executive supports the legislation. The committee then took a procedural vote to recommend the bill be heard: Council Member Fisher moved the committee recommendation, Council Member Olsen seconded, and the clerk recorded a 9-0 favorable vote.

Under the charter language cited in the staff overview, Canning told members any change in compensation for council members would require an affirmative vote of not less than two-thirds of the full council and must be enacted by ordinance before the election for the next succeeding council; changes would take effect only for the next succeeding council. The ordinance forwarded by the committee sets up the commission to study and make recommendations under that framework.

The committee recommendation sends CB-1-20-25 to the full council for further consideration and any subsequent votes required to place compensation changes on the proper timeline.