Members of the Commission are appointed by the County Executive to three-year terms. The County Executive names the Chair.
COMMISSION ON ETHICS & ACCOUNTABILITY
The Commission studies and makes recommendations on the County’s ethics laws, and laws concerning the Office of Inspector General.
To the County Executive and County Council, the Commission was to submit an interim report by July 1, 2022, and a final report by November 1, 2022.
The Commission last met on February 2, 2023.
POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY BOARD
The Police Accountability Board receives complaints of police misconduct filed by members of the public. On a quarterly basis, the Board meets with heads of law enforcement agencies, and works with those agencies and County government to improve County policing.
Legal mandates providing for the Board also authorized Charging Committees and Trial Boards, whose civilian members are appointed by the Police Accountability Board. On a quarterly basis, the Board reviews disciplinary matters considered by Charging Committees.
Appointed by the County Executive with County Council consent to three-year terms, the Board consists of nine members. The Chair is chosen for a two-year term by the County Executive (County Code, secs. 3-3-2601 through 3-3-2606).
In October 2021, the County Executive formed the Commission on Ethics and Accountability (County Executive Order no. 2021-025).
Effective July 1, 2022, the General Assembly required each Maryland county to have a Police Accountability Board (Chapter 59, Acts of 2021). In Baltimore County, the County Council established the Police Accountability Board in June 2022 (County Council Bill no. 24-22).
Meeting at least monthly, the Committee reviews the findings of each law enforcement agency’s investigation of police misconduct complaints forwarded by the agency to the Committee. From information related to the investigation, the Committee makes determinations and recommendations. It may review body camera footage, call a police officer before the Committee, determine if a police officer should be charged administratively, or recommend discipline. The Committee may submit written opinions to the director of the law enforcement agency, and to the accused police officer, the complainant, and the Police Accountability Board.
Five members constitute the Committee. Two are appointed to three-year terms by the County Executive with County Council consent, and two by the Police Accountability Board. One member serves ex officio. Annually, the Chair is chosen by the Committee (Code Public Safety Article, secs. 3-102 through 3-104).
OFFICE OF BUDGET & FINANCE
Under the Director are the 911 Communications Center, and units for Accounting, Insurance Administration, Investment and Debt Management, Payroll, Property Management, Purchasing, Retirement, Taxpayer Services, and Vehicle Operations and Maintenance.
OFFICE OF COMMUNICATIONS
Appointed by the County Executive, the Chief of Staff manages the Office of Communications.
OFFICE OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
OFFICE OF GOVERNMENT REFORM & STRATEGIC INITIATIVES
OFFICE OF HUMAN RESOURCES
The Council advises and works with the Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer on community diversity, inclusion and equity issues, including community education and awareness; equitable access to government opportunities, resources and services; public policy analysis and impacts; and public accommodations. The Council also helps plan community initiatives and/or events designed to foster a culture that acknowledges, advances, and celebrates diversity, inclusion, and equity throughout the County.
At least seven, but not more than fourteen voting members constitute the Council. Each County Council member appoints one representative from each of their respective Council Districts. The County Executive appoints up to seven additional members, serving at-large. Council members serve two-year terms. The Council's Chair is elected to a one-year term by Council members.
DIVERSITY, INCLUSION, & EQUITY EMPLOYEE ADVISORY COUNCIL
The Council advocates for, engages in, and responds to issues, concerns, and needs of the workforce as they relate to diversity, inclusion, and equity across County government.
Appointed by the County Executive, the Council consists of at least twelve, but not more than twenty voting members, who serve one-year terms.
PERSONNEL & SALARY ADVISORY BOARD
The Board consists of five members. Four are appointed by the County Executive, and one is elected by County employees in the classified service. Members serve three-year terms, beginning in January. Annually, the Chair is chosen by the County Executive in February (County Code, secs. 3-3-1301 through 3-3-1305).
OFFICE OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Under the Office are divisions for Applications; Electronic Services; and Infrastructure.
OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL
For County government, the Office provides accountability, integrity and oversight by identifying any instances of fraud, abuse, and illegal acts (County Code, secs. 3-14-101 through 3-14-112).
Heading the Office is the Inspector General, who also serves as Executive Director of the Ethics Commission.
For the purpose of guarding against improper influence, County law requires public officials to disclose their financial affairs, and sets minimum standards for the conduct of County business by public officials (County Charter, Art. X, sec. 1000; County Code, Art. 7, secs. 7-1-101 through 7-1-602).
Annually, the Commission submits a report to the State Ethics Commission, showing County compliance with State law governing the public ethics of local officials with respect to conflicts of interest, financial disclosure, and lobbying (Code General Provisions Article, secs. 5-804 through 5-812).
Appointed by the County Executive with County Council consent, the Ethics Commission consists of five members who serve three-year terms, beginning on June 5. The County Executive with County Council consent designates the chair for a one-year term (County Code, Art. 3, secs. 3-3-1001 through 3-3-1005).
OFFICE OF GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS
The Director of Government Affairs is appointed by the County Executive.
As an instrumentality of Baltimore County and a public corporation, the Authority was created to construct, improve, equip, furnish, maintain, acquire, and operate projects for public uses. These include County public buildings and a District Court facility for the State; airports and landing fields; County institutions; incinerators, bridges, toll bridges and tunnels; parks, swimming pools, arenas, stadiums, and recreational facilities; dams, impounding basins, and flood control projects; parking facilities, including areas, structures, and buildings for office, retail and other uses in conjunction with such facilities; highways, parkways, traffic distribution centers, and facilities necessary or incident thereto; and public transportation facilities and system.
By law, the Authority’s projects must be self-supporting, and it must operate in a business-like manner. No direct funds are received from general purpose units of government.
In its early years, the Authority focused on the management and operation of toll bridges in eastern Baltimore County, and of parking facilities. Currently, the Authority consists of three major businesses: parking, golf, and an indoor recreational facility, which provides ice skating and field sports to the public.
The following projects have been financed and constructed by the Revenue Authority:
The Authority is governed by the Board of Directors whose five members are appointed to five-year terms by the County Executive. Board members are volunteers and receive no compensation for their time or services.
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The Office of Budget and Finance is headed by the Director of Budget and Finance. Under supervision of the County Administrative Officer, the Director formulates the County budget. In the preparation of their budgets, the Director assists County agencies, and works to improve budget execution and reduce costs (County Code, Art. 3, secs. 2-201, 2-202).
Media relations, such as press conferences, releases, citations, and proclamations are coordinated by the Office of Communications. The Office hosts special events, and produces video programs and web content to communicate County government actions and issues to the public. Hello Baltimore County, the public-access cable station for the County, is managed by the Office.
Under the Executive Office, the Office of Community Engagement works closely with communities and constituents to directly address residents’ concerns, and help them access County services.
The Office was created to promote accountability, openness, and transparency throughout County government.
WORK GROUP ON EQUITABLE POLICING
In November, 2019, the County Executive formed the Work Group on Equitable Policing by Executive Order.
Formerly the Office of Personnel, the Office of Human Resources works to develop a county career service. It establishes equitable and uniform procedures for dealing with employees in the classified service, and seeks to attract and retain in the classified service the most qualified and competent individuals available. Following determinations of merit and ability, the Office assigns individuals to jobs in the classified service on the basis of competitive tests of fitness (County Code, Art. 4, secs. 1-101 through 8-102; Art. 3, secs. 2-801, 2-802).
DIVERSITY, INCLUSION, & EQUITY COMMUNITY ADVISORY COUNCIL
The Diversity, Inclusion and Equity Community Advisory Council was created by the County Executive in December 2019 (Executive Order 2019-002).
In December 2019, the County Executive formed the Diversity, Inclusion and Equity Employee Advisory Council (Executive Order 2019-002).
Established by the County Charter, the Personnel and Salary Advisory Board advises the County Executive, the County Administrative Officer, the Director of Human Resources, and other County officials and employees on matters concerning the administration of the County career service (County Charter, Art. VIII).
Created in 1995, the Office of Information Technology is responsible for data processing and management information; a systems and programming operation; and implementation and maintenance of management information systems. The Office also supervises the geographic information system; machine billing; the 911 center; the planning and developing interdepartmental systems of records retention and retrieval; printing services; and records management (County Code, Art. 3, secs. 2-901 through 2-904).
The Office of Inspector General began as the Office of Ethics and Accountability. It reformed under its present name In July 2020 (County Council Bill no. 70-20).
ETHICS COMMISSION
Formerly under the Office of Law, the Ethics Commission was placed under the Office of Inspector General in July 2020 (County Council Bill no. 70-20).
The Office of Government Affairs formerly was named the Office of Legislative Affairs.
REVENUE AUTHORITY
The Baltimore County Revenue Authority was formed by the General Assembly effective June 1, 1955.
1984 – Baltimore Avenue Parking Facility
1989 – Tolbert Parking Facility
1991 – Library Parking Facility
1991 – Towson Library Expansion
1994 – District Court no.8, Towson (for the State of Maryland)
1995 – Greystone Golf Course
1997 – The Woodlands Golf Course
2008 – Reisterstown Sportsplex, an Indoor recreational facility at Reisterstown Regional Park
2009 – Fox Hollow Golf Course and Training Center renovations
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e-mail: mdmanual@maryland.gov
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