By Adam Pagnucco.
Here are six words that no government bureaucrat wants to hear.
“The inspector general’s office is calling.”
Well, those words are going to be heard a lot around county government over the next two years. Why do I say that?
Because the inspector general herself has put it in writing.
Inspector General Megan Davey Limarzi’s office is a frequent headline maker in this outlet and others. The county has had a number of inspectors general since Norman Butts first took the job in 1998, but Limarzi differs from her predecessors in two important ways. First, her office has a much larger staff and budget than before she took over because the county council has beefed it up multiple times. Second, the General Assembly has expanded its authority to include oversight of many agencies aside from county government including the Housing Opportunities Commission of Montgomery County, Montgomery College, the Montgomery County Board of Education and Montgomery County Public Schools. Limarzi referred to MCPS as a “high risk operation” in persuading the council to let her create two more positions last spring.
The Office of Inspector General (OIG) often initiates investigations in response to complaints but it also plans some of its activities in advance. The OIG just released its newest work plan and projected budget for November 1, 2023 through June 30, 2025 and in doing so listed some of its priorities.
Here are the activities listed as in process.
- Department of Police audit
- Department of Transportation audit
- Review of MCPS’s processes for handling complaints of employee misconduct
And here are “anticipated” work plan items in FY24 and FY25.
- Mandated audits of principal departments including the Office of Human Resources, Public Information Office, Fire & Rescue Services
- Review of Troubled Properties Program
- Controls and procedures for collection of rental and use fees
- Compliance with Police automated traffic enforcement contract
- Use of change orders in construction projects
- Procurement practices at Montgomery County Public Schools
- Administration of rebate programs
- Review of implementation of equity legislation
- Follow-up to previous findings regarding billing and reimbursements for healthcare services provided by DHHS [Department of Health and Human Services]
If that’s not scary enough for Rockville bureaucrats, the OIG supplied this graphic showing a steady rise in staff and budget.
What explains the staffing increase? The OIG writes:
*****
The true strength of the OIG lies with its staff. Their efforts enable us to conduct audits, investigations, and reviews that add value to Montgomery County government and residents. In recognition of the value added by the OIG, in 2020 the County Council tasked us with creating an audit division to provide increased oversight and accountability by conducting systematic reviews of all 24 county departments and audits of high-risk county contracts and agreements. Based on our experience over the past three years, we project a need for 2 additional auditors in FY25. This proposal reflects a slower growth in staffing than previously projected based on county fiscal challenges and our own experience with recruiting and training skilled staff.
Additionally, in recent years the OIG has experienced a steady increase in the number of complaints received regarding MCPS operations. Our revised staffing plan includes 2 additional investigators which will allow us to conduct proactive engagements aimed at improving the efficiency and effectiveness of MCPS operations while also completing timely investigations that will deter and root out fraud, waste, and abuse.
*****
And so the OIG’s office will be busy over the next year and a half. That news may not be welcome in some corners of Rockville. But it is VERY welcome here at Montgomery Perspective.