Howard County IG advisory board approves job announcement, sets July 11 application deadline

The Howard County Inspector General Advisory Board voted May 20 to approve a revised job vacancy announcement for the county’s inspector general and set a submission deadline of July 11, 2025.

Board members and county human resources staff spent the meeting reviewing language in the draft advertisement, clarifying required qualifications and the board’s oversight role, and discussing logistics for the search. Amanda Myhill of the Office of Law read county code language saying the advisory board’s role is limited and must not ‘‘take any action to interfere with the ongoing operational authority or independence of the inspector general.’’

The approved vacancy announcement, drafted by board member Steve Quisenberry and edited during the meeting, lists the minimum qualifications as a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in a related field and at least ten years of related experience. The announcement also requires the appointee to obtain certification as an inspector general within one year of appointment; that certification is listed as a condition of the position. Human resources staff said additional certifications (for example, CPA or CFE) can be evaluated as preferred qualifications.

Human resources director Anju Bennett and Deputy Director Christy Johnson Ford answered procedural questions and said the county will run the application through its standard online portal. Bennett advised that the county will conduct criminal background checks on finalists and can verify degrees and professional credentials if the board requests those checks.

The board discussed a legislative requirement that the advisory board ‘‘shall conduct an open search process, including the use of professional search firms to solicit candidates.’’ Bennett said the county is negotiating a contract with a professional search firm (Robert Half was named as a likely vendor) and that the firm will help advertise and screen candidates; she said county practice allows applicants to apply directly through the county portal even if a search firm is engaged. As written in law and quoted in the meeting, Amanda Myhill said, the code directs use of such firms to broaden the search.

The board agreed to a tentative posting timeline, with a target to post the announcement around June 1 if the contract and procurement steps are cleared. The board set the formal application closing date as Friday, July 11, 2025. Human resources confirmed applications will be collected through the county’s applicant portal and that HR staff and the deputy director will receive and initially screen submissions; the search firm will also provide candidates to the board per the contract.

On procedures and next steps, the board asked staff to circulate the final, edited announcement and supporting materials after the meeting. The board approved the vacancy announcement by motion during the May 20 session and agreed to reconvene to continue planning the interview and scoring process at a later meeting; the board scheduled its next meeting for June 12, 2025, at 6:30 p.m.

Votes at a glance: the board approved the minutes from the April 29, 2025 meeting and approved the inspector general job vacancy announcement as revised at the May 20 meeting. The motions passed with no recorded nays during roll call voting.

The board and HR officials emphasized the advisory board’s limited operational oversight — budget review, selection, and ethical oversight — and the inspector general’s operational independence, citing the county code language read during the meeting. Human resources also confirmed that finalists will receive conditional offers contingent on successful background and reference checks.