Leaders call on Hogan to be inclusive with reopening talks
The ‘Big Eight’ Maryland county executives want a voice in reopening Maryland, and they’ve said so directly to Gov. Larry Hogan.
But when the governor announced Wednesday that beaches and parks would reopen, and golf and recreational boating were again permitted in less than 24 hours, many of those leaders say they were blindsided.
Anne Arundel County Executive Steuart Pittman said he received no prior warning and spent the afternoon scrambling to figure out whether the local health officer supported Hogan’s orders, and how to implement them on such short notice. Though he was generally supportive of the small move toward reopening, it was difficult to orchestrate the move logistically, and he said he would have liked to give the department time to prepare.
Pittman opened one of the county’s public golf courses at noon Thursday, though Hogan said 7 a.m., and it was walking only because workers weren’t able to get the golf carts ready in time.
“People assume that it’s instantaneous — 7 a.m., get out on the golf course, get out on the water,” Pittman said in a Thursday morning news media briefing. “(But) our fire chief had specifically requested that if this were to happen, she would like notice to redeploy people onto the boats to do rescue work.”
Pittman’s desire to be included in reopening planning discussions is echoed in a letter dated April 29 signed by seven other top municipal executives, including Baltimore Mayor Bernard C. “Jack” Young; Baltimore County Executive John Olszewski Jr.; Fredrick County Executive Jan H. Gardner; Harford County Executive Barry Glassman; Howard County Executive Calvin Ball; Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich; and Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks.
“We are requesting to be a part of the discussion on reopening because it concerns all of us,” they wrote. “It would be more productive if we all contribute to the discussion of rolling out the reopening of the State.” Maryland’s courts are implementing new
They have received no official response technology. Police are using discretion to from Hogan’s office, said Chris Trumbauer, make fewer arrests, and more of those who Pittman’s senior adviser. are charged are not being detained pretrial.
Michael Ricci, a spokesman for Hogan, Inmates are being released early. Crime, said the governor has been holding weekly meanwhile, has not spiked. conference calls with the county executives While officials aren’t ready to say such and has accepted their feedback, including changes will continue on the other side of a call held the day after this letter was sent. the pandemic, some want them to conHogan named former Anne Arundel execusider the possibility. tive Steve Schuh as the liaison to local “If it’s not to the detriment of public governments to ensure a two-way line of safety, maybe it’s time to re-imagine how communication. we do business,” State Sen. Will Smith said
The conference call Thursday touched at a Thursday hearing of the Judicial on nursing homes, poultry plant outbreaks, Proceedings Committee in which officials schools, testing and reopening, Ricci said. across the criminal justice system gave
Harford County Republican Barry Glassupdates on their efforts. man said that Hogan does give the local The challenges remain significant. The leaders time to ask questions and raise court system, which continues to operate issues for discussion during the weekly on a limited basis, is plotting a path calls. Still, Glassman learned of the changes forward. They anticipate the challenge of from Hogan’s Wednesday afternoon news having to work through a backlog of cases, conference like the rest of the state’s while keeping courtrooms as clear as residents. Like Pittman, Glassman said he possible to maintain proper social distancworked late with hising.parksandrecreation staff in an effort to comply with the Even the most mundane of court governor’s orders. activities will need adjusting. Frederick
“I think each of us has a different attorney Margaret Teahan, representing perspective ... Prince George’s County, the Maryland State Bar Association, wonMontgomery, Baltimore County, they have a dered aloud how attorneys will confer lot of cases. Frederick County and Harford, quietly with their clients, how judges will we’re kind of at the smaller end of the big conduct bench conferences, and how seven. So I think some of my colleagues jurors will deliberate while having to were concerned that we really have not maintain six feet of space. been in those discussions and we weren’t “We’re literally mapping out our courtgiven a heads up what was opening at 7 a.m. houses to figure out how many people we (Thursday),” Glassman said. can have in a courtroom and still comply
Glassman emphasized the need for local with social distancing,” said District Court leaders to be involved in the decision to Chief Judge John P. Morrissey. reopen businesses. But Morrissey said other initiatives he had been working for years to accomplish, such as technological advances and new ways of handling dockets, have occurred
A litter of six 6-week-old puppies that are a combination of King Corso and Blue Nose Pitbull stretched and ran around the Canton Waterfront Park while their owners tried to keep them corralled together.
“in a couple of weeks.”
It’s still unknown when courts may reopen for all matters. Mary Ellen Barbera, the chief judge of the Maryland Court of Appeals, said the projected date for reopening is June 8.
“Even if that date holds, I can assure you this does not mean that Monday, June 8 will be business as usual,” said Barbera, adding the courts are “restructuring dockets and rethinking current business practices.”
Anne Arundel Judge Laura Ripken, who is chair of the Conference of Circuit Judges, said jury trials won’t resume for six weeks after courts generally reopen, and there are work groups assessing how that process and others will look.
Prosecutors said they are working with the state prison system to identify people who can be released early from their sentences. Baltimore County State’s Attorney Scott Shellenberger said the prison system last week sent a list of 100 people convicted of crimes in the county, asking if prosecutors would object to their early