The League of Women Voters of Calvert County will release the results of its recently completed study of county government on Thursday, October 9 at 7:00 PM at the Calvert County library (located at 850 Costley Way, Prince Frederick, MD) . This meeting, which is free and open to the public, will discuss transparency and public participation in county government.
This study was undertaken because of the League’s representative government position. The study supports the League’s position that representative government should be open, accountable and responsive. Government transparency and accountability are core to the League’s mission as an organization. A government is transparent when information regarding its activities and policies is easily accessible to the public.
In 2013, members of the League’s Observer Corps (which is a committee comprised of League members who attend governmental meetings; note what happens and then report back to the League and the community), as well as other citizens, recommended the League study the county’s decision in three areas:
1. The Calvert County Board of Commissioner’s determination to support the expansion of the Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) plant at Cove Point
2. The disposition of the Calvert Middle School building and plans to develop the surrounding property
3. The annual process of drafting and adopting the county’s operating budget and capital improvement plan.
All three case studies involved actions of two different Boards of County Commissioners:
The Board serving from 2011 – 2014 and the Board serving from 2007 – 2010.
The Observer Corps researched the transparency in our county government for one year. At the Thursday, October 9 meeting they will present the results and the study will be made available to the public. The committee will discuss the report and will be available for questions after the presentation.