Gunpowder Chronicle posted on August 11, 2007 10:12 PM | Rating:
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The North County News has an article this week that highlights a new $96,000 per annum position to head code enforcement and compliance. But, there are several problems with this appointment.
First, the position was neither posted nor advertised. Mike Mohler was the only person interviewed. According to Marjorie Hampson, the county spokeswoman, "(Mike Mohler) was the candidate search. This was the person the county executive wanted for the position. He knows his skill set."
And how does Jim Smith, the former judge and County Executive, know the skill set?
According to Don Mohler, Mike's brother and the head of the County's Office of Communications, County Executive Jim Smith got to know Mike Mohler "mostly through social occasions. So now you can interview for a top county job over Manhattans and canapes?
Second, Mike Mohler is Don Mohler's brother. Don Mohler is, as I previously mentioned, a top Smith aide and the Director of the County's Office of Communications. Of course, Don Mohler claims that nepotism was not involved, and he played no role in the hiring, and that the idea actually came from Peter O'Malley (the Guvnah's Brother and Smith's Chief of Staff) and Fred Homan (the county administrator). Homan is also being sued by a former employee in a sexual harassment case.
Third, the position was not in the county budget. It will be paid for by savings in the Department of Permits and Development Management. If the savings don't cover the bill, then funds will come from transfers from other departments.
According to Democrats Joseph Bartenfelder, Ken Oliver and John Olszewski Sr., and Republican Bryan McIntire -- four members of the county council -- they were not informed of the new position, the hiring, or the salary.
Finally, one has to wonder what qualifications Mike Mohler actually has. Yes, he has worked on the county Board of Appeals for 2 1/2 years, and he has served briefly as a consultant for Whalen Properties. But the bulk of his career-- 30 years -- was working as a regional sales director for a beer distributor. If selling beer is ideal for this position, one wonders what he might do if sold hard liquor.
Mike Mohler might actually turn out to be a good department head. But a position with a $96,000 salary is a serious encumberance on the part of the county. Yes, the county has a real problem with code compliance. But it also has a real problem now with personnel decisions. That $96,000 is only the tip of the iceberg in costs. Add another $30-40k in the costs of overhead, benefits, PTO, etc., and you are talking about real money. Real taxpayer money that should be allocated through a real budget process with the agreement of the county council.
Baltimore County governmet is not a judge's courtroom, and Jim Smith better learn that fast.