Howard County Inspector General Advisory Board Meeting, March 5, 2026

The Howard County Inspector General Advisory Board met in hybrid format on Thursday, March 5, 2026, at 6:30 pm, with the primary agenda item being a presentation from Inspector General Kelly Madigan on the first eight weeks of the Office of the Inspector General (OIG). Board members present included Chair David Salem, Vice Chair Mitchell Stahm, Vernon Curry, Dennis Raschka, and Katy Sedney; Steven Quisenberry was absent. Ms. Myhill also attended. Note: The agenda states Thursday, March 5, 2026, while the transcript mistakenly refers to the date as Wednesday.

Discussion Items

• Inspector General Kelly Madigan reported:

  • She began her tenure on January 5, 2026, and has spent the first eight weeks establishing the office.
  • Policies and procedures have been drafted, implemented, and signed; an OIG seal was created, and a logo with contact information is in development.
  • Office space: The originally proposed permanent space at 9755 (third floor) raised concerns about confidentiality, privacy, and independence due to being in a shared suite. An alternative at 9820 was identified but carries significant capital costs (including installing a new ceiling) and would not be substantially completed until August or September. She will revisit the 9755 space after structural changes. Temporary office space was provided by the county auditor.
  • The administrative assistant position was reclassified to a second investigator; the reclassification was granted.
  • An OIG hotline and email were established; a procurement card (P card) was obtained.
  • The office budget was finalized with assistance from budget staff.
  • With the Department of Technology and Community Services (DTCS), a custom case management system is being developed; phase one is nearly complete. The OIG website launched its first phase on February 13, and the online complaint form is already receiving complaints.
  • A mandatory OIG training course for all county employees was developed and submitted to Human Resources; the goal is to roll it out by October or November.
  • MOUs were signed with the Maryland Inspector General for Education, the Howard County Auditor, and the Office of the State's Attorney.
  • As of March 5, the OIG had received 13 complaints: 8 from private citizens, 3 from county employees, 1 anonymous, and 1 from a law enforcement partner; 9 were misconduct allegations and 4 involved fraud.
  • Madigan has been working on legislation to exempt local and state OIG offices from the Maryland Public Information Act (MPIA). A joint statement was issued by the four local Maryland IG offices. Supporting bills include House Bill 1620, Senate Bill 991, House Bill 1624, and a local Howard County delegation bill.

• Board discussion:

  • Board member Vernon Curry expressed strong support for ensuring the OIG has full, unredacted access to documents, noting that letting other entities decide what the IG receives 'taints the process.' He stated he was a former FOIA officer.
  • Chair David Salem suggested that board members could support the MPIA legislation individually, including writing letters, and Madigan confirmed that such support is appropriate.
  • Board member Dennis Raschka asked about outreach materials; Madigan plans to create posters and magnets with contact information for distribution to county agencies.

Other Business

• Vernon Curry asked whether the meeting was virtual only; Vice Chair Stahm clarified that future meetings will generally be hybrid unless otherwise stated.
• The next scheduled meeting is Thursday, June 4, 2026.

Key Outcomes

• No formal votes were taken.
• The position reclassification (administrative assistant to investigator) was approved.
• The OIG website phase one is live; development of the case management system continues.
• The board will consider individual actions to support MPIA exemption legislation.
• The next advisory board meeting is scheduled for June 4, 2026.