The newly elected Carroll County commissioners began their first day in office yesterday with a compromise -- but they wouldn't explain how they reached it.
All three commissioners, elected last month, coveted spots on two powerful county boards -- the Board of Education and the Planning Commission. They divvied up the duties in a closed meeting and explained their solution as "a gentleman's agreement."
The board followed tradition and elected the top vote-getter in the November race -- Republican Richard T. Yates -- as its president. He received 20.3 percent of the vote in the six-candidate race. Mr. Yates, who promised to curb residential growth if elected, was named to the Planning Commission, which makes decisions about new housing developments, rezonings and capital budget projects. He is a voting member of the five-member commission.
Republican Donald I. Dell, the only incumbent on the board, sat on the Planning Commission during the previous term. Yesterday, he was named secretary of the Board of Commissioners because he was the low vote-getter in the race. He received 19.7 percent of the vote.
Mr. Dell was named an ex-officio member of the school board, a tTC position he held during his previous term. It is not a voting position.
Republican W. Benjamin Brown was named vice president of the Board of Commissioners. He received 19.8 percent of the vote in the November election.
During a short organizational meeting yesterday morning, Mr. Dell read a list of committees and boards on which each commissioner would serve during the four-year term. After the meeting, the commissioners would not explain how they made their decisions.
"It was a gentleman's agreement," Mr. Dell said.
"We're all mature gentlemen," Mr. Brown said. "Things are going to work out very well."
He added that the board would reassess its decisions periodically.
"It's early," Mr. Dell said.
Mr. Yates said the commissioners may rotate the office titles during their term. They will talk about it after one year in office, he said.
Earlier in the morning, Clerk of the Circuit Court Larry W. Shipley swore the new commissioners into office during a ceremony at the Courthouse Annex. The board is Carroll's 55th Board of Commissioners.
Circuit Court Administrative Judge Raymond E. Beck Sr., Circuit Judge Luke K. Burns Jr. and Circuit Judge Francis M. Arnold presided over the 15-minute ceremony. About 150 people attended.
After thanking the voters, Mr. Yates said, "To those who voted for me, God bless you. For those who didn't vote for me, God bless you. For those who didn't vote at all, shame on you."
Mr. Brown said that as he stood at the front of the courtroom he felt like an 8-year-old boy waiting to be chosen to bat during a baseball game.
"You sort of pump yourself up and say, 'Choose me, choose me.' Standing here, I feel exactly like that," he said.
Mr. Dell said he was happy to see so many people at the ceremony.
"We do work for you. I try to keep telling myself that, and I tell the staff that. It's a tremendous privilege to hold this office," he said.
The commissioners serve on 25 boards, committees and commissions. The assignments were divided evenly. Following are some of boards and the commissioners named to them:
* Recreation and Parks Board -- Mr. Brown.
* Economic Development Commission -- Mr. Brown.
* Environmental Affairs Advisory Board -- Mr. Brown.
* Baltimore Metropolitan Council -- Mr. Dell.
L * Carroll Community College Board of Trustees -- Mr. Yates.
* Commission on Aging -- Mr. Brown.
* Keystone Landfill Task Force -- Mr. Yates.
* Farm Museum Board of Governors -- Mr. Dell.