The process of selecting Baltimore County's next inspector general is under fire from national oversight bodies, which claim political interference is threatening the independence crucial to the position. The Association of Inspectors General (AIG) sent a letter to the Baltimore County Council and County Executive Kathy Klausmeier, expressing deep concern about the selection process. "An Inspector General must be selected through an open and transparent process that ensures independence, not one controlled exclusively by elected officials who may themselves fall under the IG’s jurisdiction," AIG President Will Fletcher stated, as reported by FOX Baltimore.
Adding to the controversy, current Inspector General Kelly Madigan was asked to reapply for her position, a move the AIG believes is at odds with correct legal processes. The county executive's office is said to have deviated from county law, which states that the executive could either reappoint or replace the inspector general. This ambiguity in Klausmeier's actions has caught the attention of oversight advocates. "The selection of an inspector general under this current process would not, and should not, garner the trust of the public," the AIG stated in their condemnation, according to WYPR.
A proposed solution by Councilman Izzy Patoka involves legislative changes to the county charter. Patoka's bill aims to create an independent appointment board to oversee future selections of the inspector general, potentially removing political influence from the equation. "It is certainly concerning to me when we as Baltimore County government receive correspondence from a professional organization expressing concern on how we are conducting business as it relates to the appointment of the Inspector General," Patoka stated, as documented by FOX Baltimore. This legislation, if passed by the council and approved by county voters, may offer a path to re-establishing the inspector general's autonomy and public confidence.
AIG is pressing the county executive to take immediate measures, pending legislative action, to resolve the conflicts of interest evident in the current selection process.
