The remaining members of the Harford County Council took another shot Monday in their growing feud with the county executive they appointed, slicing all funding for the executive?s chief of staff from the 2007 budget.
During the special session to make changes to the proposed budget, Council President Robert Wagner pushed through an amendment that excised all $461,819 designated for the chief of staff?s office.
“The job description … is so sketchy in design that we had to cut it out,” Wagner said.
Just four council members were present to vote, with District B Council Member Veronica Chenowith battling leukemia, District C Council Member Robert Cassilly in Iraq and District F Council Member Cecelia Stepp on vacation.
“By doing this, they?ve cut funding for agriculture promotion and preservation ? and Edgewood [redevelopment efforts],” said Aaron Tomarchio, whom County Executive David Craig appointed chief of staff in January.
Tomarchio?s office was working with business, church and community groups in the Edgewood area to coordinate revitalization, and part of the budget would have gone toward that effort.
The council will vote on the budget at its Tuesday meeting, and it will take all four of the remaining votes to pass it, Wagner said.
If Craig vetoes the budget to block the council?s amendments, the council will lack the five votes required to override it. If neither Craig nor the council moves, the budget will automatically become law in its current form after 60 days, Tomarchio said.
Other funding cuts
» Deputy chief of staff, $16,018
» Deputy director of Department of Inspections, Licenses and Permits, $14,418
» Property manager for the Department of Procurement, $57,523
» Superintendent of general services, $55,510
