Baltimore County Referendum

Baltimore County voters to decide PE licensing debate

Citizens in Baltimore County will have a chance to weigh in on a key engineering question come November. The county ballot in the 2022 election will include a referendum over whether to amend the county charter to remove the requirement that the director of public works must be a professional engineer.

It is a topic of considerable debate and diverse practices among local governments. In Central Maryland, Montgomery County, Prince George’s County and Baltimore City do not require their DPW directors to hold PE licenses. Anne Arundel, Harford and Howard counties require their directors to be licensed PEs.

Some elected members of Baltimore County government have argued that removing the PE requirement would modernize county regulations and bring them more in line with other local governments.

In a submission to Baltimore County Council, however, MDSPE last year urged the county to retain the PE requirement. “It’s a reasonable and practical measure intended to provide the most effective administration of the Department of Public Works and Transportation, and ensure the health and safety of the people in Baltimore County.”