Gov. Hogan Orders Audit Of Maryland Environmental Service
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (WJZ) — Governor Larry Hogan is ordering an audit of the Maryland Environmental Service, citing issues of the department paying large bonuses, expense reimbursements and severance packages to its top executives.
"This is something no normal state-operated agency should or would ever grant," he said in a statement Tuesday.
He said he wanted to be clear he did not approve, recommend, or have any involvement in these decisions made by the board of directors of MES, "with respect to the former director Roy McGrath or any other individual."
McGrath, Gov. Hogan's chief of staff since June, resigned last week- days after it was learned he accepted a severance package from another state job to join the governor's office.
The agency describes itself as a "not-for-profit business unit of the state of Maryland,"
The new acting director Charles Glass, he said, who has been leading MES since June, is committing to a "top-to-bottom review" of operations, the governor added.
"While it is the legislature's responsibility to do audits of MES, today I have directed the Department of Budget and Management to also immediately conduct its own audit of this independent agency," he said. "The current operating and oversight structure of MES was established by the General Assembly in 1993. Our intention is to work with the legislature in a bipartisan way on legislation to reform the governance and operations of MES in order to provide for stronger oversight by both the executive and legislative branches."
