Board of Appeals hearing suspended after members say county council removed chair

On Sept. 17, 2026, a scheduled session of the Howard County Board of Appeals was suspended after two members said they would not take part following an email they said notified them that the county council had removed the board's chair.

"This morning, I was advised by an email from the administrator of the county council that our chairperson, Gene Ryan, was no longer a member of this board," said Board member (S2), who said they had returned from a trip and that the removal "may be illegal." Another member, Board member (S3), echoed those concerns and said the council held an emergency meeting to effect the removal.

The members described the council's action as improper and said it created a "chilling effect" on the board. "I believe the council's action was illegal, and I believe it raises causes serious concern about retaliation, intimidation, and coercion of the members of this board," Board member (S3) said, adding that under those circumstances they could not in good conscience participate in hearings.

After those statements, the staff member running the session said the board no longer had a quorum. "Unfortunately, that gives us, not a quorum to even hold a meeting," the staff member (S1) said, and the hearing was suspended "until further notice," with an apology to those present.

The members who declined to participate said they feared decisions made under the current conditions "may not be upheld in court," but they did not cite a specific statute or court decision that had been applied to the chair's removal during the session. The remarks referenced an action by the county council; the council's notice or reasoning was not read into the record during the hearing.

The hearing was not able to proceed and no agenda items were heard. The board did not take any votes at the session; staff said the meeting was suspended and gave no date for resumption.

Members of the public present were not given the opportunity to present their cases before the suspension. The transcript records the chairperson's name inconsistently: one speaker referred to the chair as "Gene Ryan" and another as "Jean Ryan." The county council's written action and any legal rationale for the removal were not included in the meeting record provided in the transcript.