NEWS ANALYSIS Never say never in Cecil County government and politics. But sometimes it’s politically wise to say “maybe.” After months of resistance by colleagues to a demand by County Commissioner/Councilor Diana Broomell (R-4) to hire a County Council “auditor” to investigate spending and operations of the new County Executive, suddenly the position surfaced as a budget priority on Tuesday. During discussion at a Council budget “workshop,” it was disclosed for the first time that the County Council proposed inclusion in its budget of a “Council auditor” position. Broomell has insisted that such a position is needed as an independent watchdog on the County Executive and to provide “checks and balances” between the two branches of county government under the new Charter system. But the budget proposal and political reality might not be the same thing. Under the speeded-up budget process under Charter this year, County Executive Tari Moore obtained spending proposals from the new Council for its own operations and included them in her overall budget proposal unveiled earlier this month. Individual Council members also submitted their suggestions for the spending plan for council operations, sources said. “That’s a courtesy I extended to them,” Moore told Cecil Times, explaining [...]
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