QUESTION C - CHARTER AMENDMENT (BILL 50-25)

INSPECTOR GENERAL APPOINTMENT BOARD The Inspector General provides oversight of County government by investigating fraud, waste, and abuse. This Charter Amendment establishes an Inspector General Appointment Board; provides for the appointment of members to the Appointment Board; provides authority for the Inspector General Appointment Board to appoint or reappoint the Inspector General and, if necessary, remove the Inspector General for cause. It replaces the current process under which the County Executive appoints or reappoints the Inspector General, and the County Council confirms the appointment. It provides for a residency requirement for the Inspector General. The Inspector General Appointment Board will consist of seven (7) members, with the County Council and County Executive each selecting one member, and the Chair of the Ethics Commission electing the other five (5) members, each of whom must be from specific judicial, accounting, fraud examination or academic professions. There are also several requirements for members relating to potential ethical conflicts between their service on the Inspector General Appointment Board and their employment or business involvement with the County; candidacy for elected office or involvement in campaign finances; registration as a lobbyist; or criminal convictions. This would amend Section 1014 of the Baltimore County Charter and add Section 1014.1 to the Baltimore County Charter. A vote FOR the amendment transfers the authority to appoint or reappoint and remove the Inspector General from the County Executive to an Inspector General Appointment Board to be established. A vote AGAINST the amendment keeps the current process, in which the County Executive appoints or reappoints, the Inspector General and the County Council confirms the appointment.