MACo announced its 2014 Recognition Awardees during its January Winter Conference.  With these awards, MACo recognizes policymakers who have been actively engaged in advocating for counties on certain issues and county staff who have gone above and beyond to assist Maryland’s counties.

MACo’s 2014 Recognition Awardees are:

• Delegate Wendell Beitzel – Delegate Beitzel is a strong county advocate and sponsored MACo’s legislation to restore local highway user revenues to a reasonable level.

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  Delegate Bill Frick – Delegate Frick, who in his last term served as Chair of the Revenue Subcommittee of the House Ways and Means Committee, has been actively engaged on many pieces of legislation to protect local government revenues.

• Mary Lou McDonough, Director of the Prince George’s County Department of Corrections – Mrs. McDonough has provided strong and consistent support of efforts to reform Maryland’s pretrial system and to protect local jails from bearing the brunt of the financial and operational effect of the DeWolfe v. Richmond decision.

  

• Captain Michael Merican, Warden of the St. Mary’s County Department of Corrections – As President of Maryland Correctional Administrators Association, Capt. Merican has been essential in supporting efforts to protect the interest of county governments and jails in light of the Maryland Court of Appeals ruling in DeWolfe v. Richmond.

  

Delegate Beitzel, Mrs. McDonough and Capt. Merican received their Recognition Awards during the Winter Conference.  Delegate Frick received his award on January 28 during MACo’s Legislative Committee meeting.  Delegate Frick was not able to attend the conference.