Ex-Official's Role Prompts Speculation

Is the former director of the Department of Environmental Resources back to work for the county, dispatched to provide administrative support to the newly formed Prince George's County Hospital Authority?

The answer seems to be "No, she isn't." At least, not yet. But maybe soon.

Donna M.P. Wilson, a lawyer who stepped down as head of the county's permitting and environmental division in late 2006, attended the first meeting of the authority this month.

Authority Chairman Kenneth E. Glover said he thinks Wilson was there on behalf of the county, working under a contract to provide support to the group. In addition, the governor sent a staffer to assist the group, which was appointed by the state and the county. The governor's representative did not need to be hired for the task because he was on state payroll.

Wilson and county spokesman John Erzen said she does not have a contract with the county. Wilson indicated that she anticipates receiving one soon, to help the authority hammer out its "policies and procedures." She noted that she spent 16 years as general counsel of hospitals and has a background in the industry.

But state law gives the authority, which was formed to conduct a bidding process to find new owners for the county's ailing hospital system, money to hire staff members and consultants.

A contract to Wilson might raise some eyebrows because the county is committed to spending $12 million this year and next to prop up the hospital system and probably millions more in the future. Some are grumbling that the county can't afford it at a time of budget shortfalls.

In addition, Wilson's tenure at DER got mixed reviews. Some environmentalists said that they thought the county's storm water management system eroded under her watch and that they were disappointed that Wilson had been named head of the agency because she did not have any experience in the area.

She had been a campaign contributor to County Executive Jack B. Johnson (D) and was a sorority sister of Johnson's wife.

Union Spurns Talks on Pay

Members of AFSCME, which represents 2,000 county employees, voted last week to reject a request by county leaders to renegotiate the terms of their contract.

Facing a $48 million budget shortfall in the tightening economy, Johnson had asked all county employee unions to return to the negotiating table to talk about reducing the sizes of their raises for the coming year. Without talks, Johnson said, it might be necessary to lay off some workers.

But Wanda Shelton Martin, a staff representative for the union, said about 350 employees met last week and rejected that ultimatum. She said employees need their contracted raises, which amount to 2.5 percent for the increase in the cost of living and 3.5 percent in merit increases, to pay for the rising prices of gas and food. She said workers think the county can trim costs without resorting to taking back employee raises.