ALLEGANY COUNTY, MARYLAND

EXECUTIVE BRANCH

ADMINISTRATION

ORIGIN & FUNCTIONS

COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR

County Office Building, 701 Kelly Road, Cumberland, Maryland, July 2006. Photo by Diane F. Evartt.

Appointed by the Board of County Commissioners, the County Adminstrator serves a term co-terminus with the Board.

ETHICS COMMISSION
The Ethics Commission publishes and implements ethics regulations for County government, hears complaints and allegations of ethics violations in the County, and establishes the penalties for violations of disclosure and other ethics regulations. The Commission also provides for disclosures related to conflicts of interest, lobbying, and financial disclosure of gifts. The County Attorney serves as advisor to the Commission in the execution of its duties (County Code, secs. 98-1 through 98-12).

Annually, the Commission submits a report to the State Ethics Commission, showing County compliance with State law governing the public ethics of local officials with respect to conflicts of interest, financial disclosure, and lobbying (Code General Provisions Article, secs. 5-804 through 5-812).

Appointed by the Board of County Commissioners, the Ethics Commission has five members (County Code, sec. 98-3).

LOCAL [VIDEO LOTTERY] DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL
A local development council is established in each geographic area where a video lottery [slots gambling] facility is located (Chapter 5, Acts of 2007; Chapter 4, Acts of 2007 Special Session; Code State Government Article, sec. 9-1A-31). In Allegany County, a video lottery facility, called Rocky Gap Casino Resort, opened at Cumberland on May 22, 2013.

The Local Development Council advises the County on the impact of the video lottery facility on the communities in immediate proximity to the facility, and on the needs and priorities of those communities. The Council also makes recommendations to the County and the City of Cumberland regarding the multi-year plans for expenditure of revenue from the facility.

Appointed by the Board of County Commissioners, the Local Development Council consists of fifteen members (Code State Government Article, sec. 9-1A-31).

PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICE
The Public Information Officer handles all requests for County government information. The Office is responsible for maintaining access upon request to County government documents, such as meeting minutes, plans, resolutions, and reports.

FINANCE DEPARTMENT

In Allegany County, the Board of County Commissioners authorized the position of County Treasurer in 1872 to oversee the financial responsibilities of the County. In 1888 these duties were expanded and established by statute (Code of Public Laws Local 1888, Art. 1, sec. 42). The office of County Treasurer was abolished in September 1982, when its duties transferred to the Director of the newly created Finance Department (County Code, sec. 101-4).

Established in 1982, the Finance Department records and reports levies and expenditures to the Board of County Commissioners, and maintains the County's financial accounts, as well as maintainng the County payroll, and all related payroll taxes, pensions, records, and insurance. The Department also supervises and maintains financial records for County institutions. All County financial and accounting reports are prepared by the Department (County Code, secs. 38-4, 101-1 through 101-12).

Within the Finance Department are the Information Technologies Division and two offices: Gaming, and Tax and Utilities.

GAMING OFFICE
Created in 2003, the Gaming Office issues licenses, and administers and enforces State and County laws related to "paper game sales" in the County. Paper gaming includes any game (except bingo) that awards prizes, and uses paper or cardboard playing pieces, such as punch-board, scratch-off, or tip-jar games.

The Office conducts inspections of license holders in the County, and is authorized to assess fines and penalties for violations of law. The Office has authority to collect gaming tax revenue, and deny, suspend, or revoke licenses. The Office also maintains the Paper Gaming Fund, which uses gaming tax revenue to cover administrative costs for the Office, as well as provide for educational investment, and fire and rescue departments. Annually, the Office reports to the Board of County Commissioners on the status of the Fund, as well as all gaming sales, licensing, and violations in the County (County Code, secs. 333-1 through 333-7).

The Administrator for the Gaming Office is appointed by the County Administrator with consent of the Board of County Commissioners (County Code, sec. 333-1).

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY DIVISION
The Information Technology Division provides technical advice and support for all County agencies. In addition to maintaining County government phone and internet networks, the Division develops all County websites, databases, and additional programs. Annually, the Division devises plans to meet the County’s growing information technology needs, and reports Division activities and recommendations to the Board of County Commissioners.

Since 1997, the Division has offered general training seminars for County employees, in addition to individual training in specific applications. To better monitor and maintain County technology assets, the Division in 1998 created a centralized technology purchasing and technology request-tracking system.

TAX & UTILITIES OFFICE
Under the Finance Department, the Tax and Utilities Office bills and collects utility as well as real estate and personal property taxes in the County. The Office also collects all such taxes and fees for the State of Maryland, Allegany County, and the County's municipalities and tax districts (County Code, secs. 166-1 through 166-51).

DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES

All personnel matters for County Government and its employees are administered by the Department of Human Resources. In this function, the Department enforces the rules and regulations for all County government employees as prescribed by the Board of County Commissioners, and advises the Board and the County Administrator on such matters. The Department also advertises job openings, and verifies the qualifications of candidates for appointment by the County Commissioners (County Code, sec. 31-9).

Under the Department are three units: Employee Benefits, Human Resources, and Risk Management.

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