Howard County board announces Kelly Madigan as first inspector general, begins work on performance plan

The Inspector General Advisory Board announced Dec. 11 that Kelly Madigan, who is resigning as Baltimore County inspector general effective Jan. 2, will begin as Howard County’s first inspector general on Jan. 5, 2026. The board sent a memo to the county executive and county council and issued a public press release on Dec. 1 to notify stakeholders, the chair said.

Board members then turned to how Madigan’s job performance will be evaluated. Annie, a human resources representative, explained the county’s standard performance-evaluation form and said the first eight criteria apply broadly while two to three slots are reserved for job-specific duties. “That is the standard form that we use for all county employees and county government,” Annie said, adding that supervisors often select two or three major duties from the job description to rate and that quantifiable measures are strongly encouraged.

Dennis, a board member who drafted a proposed framework after researching other inspector general offices, said the board should favor data-driven metrics over subjective, remote judgments. He suggested measures such as the number of reports issued and counts of whistleblower incidents and urged that the board map those metrics into the county form rather than rely solely on impression-based scoring.

Annie told the board it is the appointing authority and therefore the official rating authority for the inspector general’s evaluation, though HR will assist if asked. She also outlined administrative timing: the county sends a step form about two months before an employee’s job anniversary and prefers completed evaluation materials three to four weeks before that date so merit-step increases and cost-of-living adjustments can be processed on time. Board members discussed meeting with the incoming inspector general early in the onboarding period, suggesting within the first month or up to 45 days.

Board members flagged the term “professional judgment” in the draft standards and asked whether it needs a tighter definition for consistency. Annie said the board’s collective expectations can define that standard in this unique situation, and Dennis recommended consulting the Association of Inspectors General’s “Green Book” professional competency standards, which the board agreed to review online.

On personnel records, HR offered to retain the inspector general’s personnel file securely in its custody if the board does not have a secure location for paper files. HR noted deputy staff who are executive-exempt are appointed by the inspector general, and the board would not have custodial responsibility for staff files it does not appoint.

The chair said a draft annual report will be circulated next week with the goal of finalizing it before Jan. 1. No formal vote was taken at the meeting. The board adjourned and is scheduled to meet next on March 5, 2026, though the chair said that date may be adjusted.