Gov.-elect Larry Hogan named more of his cabinet picks Tuesday, including what he called his "Bay Cabinet," the three departments that play the largest roles in policy related to the Chesapeake Bay.
Hogan gave former Assistant Secretary of Natural Resources Charlie Evans the top spot in the Department of Natural Resources. Democratic Baltimore County Councilman Joe Bartenfelder, who is also a farmer, will head the state’s agriculture department. Ben Grumbles, who was the longest-serving assistant administrator for water at the Environmental Protection Agency, will run the Department of the Environment.
The governor-elect had strong words about proposed environmental regulations, including rules to reduce chicken manure from running off into the bay.
“We’ve said repeatedly that these midnight-hour trying to be pushed in at the last minute without thought without including any of the stakeholders is a bad idea, and we’re going to do everything that we can to stop them from being implemented,” Hogan said.
Hogan also tapped former Charles County Del. Van Mitchell to run the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, the state’s largest department. Mitchell served in a high-level health department post under Republican former Gov. Bob Ehrlich.
"He knows the department inside and out, and is committed to bringing together the many stakeholders in healthcare to forge our next steps in moving forward on healthcare policy," Hogan said of Mitchell.
The governor-elect declined to give details of what those next steps may be. Hogan has been critical of the state's health exchange rollout and said recouping the costs of the state's first online health insurance marketplace, which crashed and was replaced after the last open enrollment period, is one of many issues he plans to address.
Hogan said Brig. Gen. Linda Singh will be the first woman adjutant general, charged with running the state’s military department and national guard.
Hogan rounded out his half dozen picks for top offices with Jimmy Rhee, his pick for Special Secretary of Minority Affairs, who would be the first Korean-American cabinet member in Maryland. Rhee previously served as an assistant secretary of commerce and trade in Virginia
