La Plata Councilman Patrick McCormick issued a public statement on August 2, 2025, alleging that Mayor Jeannine James violated the town’s charter by serving in dual roles as mayor and town manager while receiving a taxpayer-funded stipend. McCormick, representing Ward II, cited public documents obtained through Freedom of Information Act requests, council meeting minutes and recorded statements to support his claims in the ongoing La Plata mayor stipend controversy. He emphasized that the issue centers on governance transparency, public trust and financial accountability, not a personal dispute.
The allegations stem from a closed session on September 3, 2024, where the council approved a stipend for an acting town manager. According to the session’s closing statement prepared by James, “a stipend was approved for the acting Town Manager.” A subsequent FOIA request initiated by then-candidate Tyjon Johnson in March 2025 revealed that the stipend recipient was James, who received $10,000 per month in addition to her $21,000 annual mayoral salary. The town’s director of legislative services, Kelly Phipps, clarified in a prepared statement that James was not acting town manager but the chief executive officer fulfilling dual duties under the charter.
McCormick questioned the shift in terminology, noting that prior to the FOIA response, James, town staff and council members referred to her as town manager. He cited examples from meeting transcripts, including James’ October 8, 2024, statement: “Maybe because I’m Town Manager now, I didn’t feel I might have the support…” and later in the same meeting: “I’m just going to speak as Mayor and not uh, uh, uh Town Manager…” A senior town staffer on December 10, 2024, described the situation as “precarious” with James acting in the role, and a council member noted the “difficult line” of dual responsibilities.
The La Plata Town Charter explicitly states: “No elected official of the Town shall be appointed Town Manager during the term for which he or she shall have been elected, nor within one year after the expiration of the term.” McCormick argued that the stipend approval and references to James as town manager indicate a violation, potentially creating a conflict in separation of powers. He highlighted that the council approves policy while the manager executes it, and dual roles could allow the mayor to disregard council directives without recourse.
The Maryland Open Meetings Compliance Board ruled in 2025 that the September 3, 2024, closed session violated the Open Meetings Act by providing vague pre-session disclosures and incomplete post-session summaries. The board focused on transparency failures but did not address charter compliance. In response, the town committed to improved procedures, including detailed statements and staff training.
On May 20, 2025, shortly after James’ re-election to a third term with 380 votes against challenger Ralph Wayne Winkler’s 322, the newly elected council unanimously suspended the $10,000 monthly stipend. The council, including McCormick who won Ward II with 417 votes, also advanced legislation to appoint an acting town manager. This action followed the election where voters retained James but elected an entirely new council: Paul Guttenberg in Ward I, McCormick in Ward II, Gregory Sampson Jr. in Ward III and Tyjon Johnson unopposed in Ward IV.
McCormick criticized the town’s posture, suggesting the position change occurred only after Johnson’s FOIA request. He referenced town attorney Jay Gullo’s May 20, 2025, assertion that the decision-making process was sound, which McCormick said was contradicted by the compliance board’s findings. During a July 29, 2025, meeting, James motioned to table discussion on the issue after reading a prepared statement, seconded by Guttenberg, preventing further council input. McCormick challenged this, stating: “I’m challenging that you served as Town Manager, which your own quotes here, if you let me present them today, would back and prove.” He added: “I think it’s interesting you use the phrase transparency and your concern for it if you’re going to table this conversation…I’ve received 25 comments in the last 28 days about this. Folks deserve to hear what happened.”
In his statement, McCormick proposed a public council discussion, requesting a censure motion against James, a charter compliance review and referral to the Maryland Office of the State Prosecutor. As a private resident, he called for James’ resignation, repayment of the stipend and a new mayoral election per the charter. He linked the issue to broader concerns, such as unreported violations at the La Plata Waste Water Treatment Plant, where James allegedly hired an engineering firm without council approval while in dual roles.
The La Plata mayor stipend controversy underscores ongoing debates about ethical local government in Southern Maryland, where small towns like La Plata, with a population of about 10,000, rely on clear separation of powers to maintain public confidence. McCormick welcomed press scrutiny and offered records for review, contacting him at pmccormick@townoflaplata.org. No immediate response from James was available in public records as of August 2, 2025.