A workgroup that is studying whether the Baltimore County Council should increase in size is expected to give its recommendations to the county council next week.

In a preliminary report released earlier this month, the workgroup recommended increasing the size of the council from seven to nine.

However, the political future of that proposed expansion is in doubt.

It would take at least five votes on the seven-member council for the expansion question to be put on the November ballot.

Republican Councilman Todd Crandell has consistently opposed the idea, saying the current size of the council works well.

Three other council members, Democrat Julian Jones and Republicans David Marks and Wade Kach said they are undecided.

Marks in the past has supported a nine member council but now he’s not so sure.

“Baltimore County’s recent population loss has caused me to reevaluate my earlier support for this proposal,” Marks said in a statement. “I also have yet to see bipartisan support, as I have regularly asked from the promoters of this change.”

According to a recent U.S. Census Bureau estimate, the county’s population decreased 0.2%, to 844,703 from July 2022 to July 2023.

Council Chairman Izzy Patoka, and Councilman Mike Ertel, both Democrats, support expanding to nine members.

Democrat Pat Young did not return requests for comment.

County Executive Johnny Olszewski doesn’t get a vote in the matter but he supports it as well.

“We want to make sure this county is reflective of the growth we’ve seen the past several decades, also reflective of our diversity,” Olszewski said.

The county’s population has nearly tripled since the seven member council was set up in 1956. Supporters of nine districts say it would open the door for women and minorities to get elected.

The current seven-member council is all male. All but Jones, who is Black, are white. Minorities make up nearly 50% of Baltimore County’s population.

A larger council would come at a cost, including a projected $12 million expansion of council offices. Olszewski is good with that too.

“We know that the council chambers are in need of renovation anyway so that’s actually timely,” Olszewski said.

In written testimony to the workgroup, Parkville resident Deborah Wagaman questioned the motives of the supporters of expanding the council.

“I believe the majority party has a hidden agenda to pack the council with more of the same party,” Wagaman wrote.

But Ron Lambert, a Timonium resident, told the workgroup that it should recommend that the council expand to 11 members.

“The main reason is that the number of residents per district is significantly higher than the surrounding jurisdictions, and among the highest of all jurisdictions in our geographic region,” Lambert wrote. “This dilutes the power of residents and communities.

The Council Structure Workgroup holds its final public hearing Wednesday, March 20 at 6 pm at the Woodlawn Public Library.