The Maryland Rural Counties Coalition elected Carroll County Board of County Commissioners President Douglas Howard as its new Chairman on December 8.  Howard replaces former Allegany County Commission President Michael McKay, who successfully ran for an open Delegate seat in the Maryland General Assembly.

The Coalition is one of three MACo Chapter Organizations and was formed by the governing bodies of Allegany, Carroll, Frederick and Washington counties on December, 12, 2011. Working in conjunction with MACo, the Coalition provides a voice for Maryland’s rural counties, allowing them to offer their unique perspective on important state and federal policy issues.

Since its inception the Coalition has grown to include 11 member counties, including: Allegany, Caroline, Carroll, Cecil, Dorchester, Frederick, Harford, Kent, Somerset, Washington, and Wicomico. The Coalition now represents more than 1.1 million rural Maryland residents.

As a MACo Chapter Organization, the Coalition will advocate and take positions on issues of rural concern but will not take a position that contradicts a MACo position.  The other two Chapter Organizations include the: (1) Minority County Officials Diversity Caucus; and (2)Women of MACo.