On January 24, 2023, Senior Circuit Court Judge Leo Green, Jr., granted a temporary restraining order preventing a previously censured Charles County Commissioner from any involvement with County Administrator Mark Belton. As alleged in a 26-page complaint filed by BGL, in June 2020, the Board censured the Commissioner for harassment and acts of bias against Belton.
Commissioners Amanda M. Stewart and Gilbert Bowling – represented by Brown, Goldstein & Levy attorneys Andy Levy, Kevin Docherty, Anthony May, and Monique Gillum – sought an injunction to enforce restrictions placed on the Censured Commissioner during the June 2020 meeting that prevent her from participating in any votes related to Belton’s employment and even from communicating with him directly.
During a three-and-a-half hour hearing in the Circuit Court for Charles County, Andy Levy argued that the restraining order was brought only to keep the Censured Commissioner from participating in the vote pertaining to Belton. “We seek not to give Mr. Belton lifetime tenure or enshrine the prompt and remedial actions on Mt. Sinai … but whatever the Board does, they should do it without the Censured Commissioner,” Levy said.
Judge Green’s order explicitly warns against a vote to modify the “prompt remedial actions” taken by the board in June 2020. However, the Censured Commissioner is still allowed to vote on matters not related to Belton and a full hearing will be scheduled later in February on Plaintiffs’ claims for permanent injunctive relief.
PLEASE FIND NEWS COVERAGE BELOW
Temporary order granted against censured Charles commissioner | Southern Maryland News (January 25, 2023)
Judge rules Charles Co. commissioner can’t vote to fire administrator | 7News (January 24, 2023)