Volume Down, Dollars Up: OIG Identifies $18.1M Despite Fewer Complaints
Montgomery County’s Office of the Inspector General (OIG) has released its FY 2025 annual report, identifying $18.1 million in questioned costs across 13 investigations. With a budget of $3.6 million, the office delivered nearly a five-to-one return on investment. But the real story lies not only in dollars potentially saved, but in how the watchdog agency has pivoted in response to shifting public concerns.
From Complaint Surge to Bigger Dollar Findings
The FY 2024 report marked a high-water mark in complaints, with 430 cases logged, nearly half of them involving Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS). That wave reflected deep community unease over controversial school procurements, technology contracts, and internal investigations—issues that generated unprecedented demand for OIG review.
By FY 2025, the complaint total had fallen to 378. The decline suggests that the most explosive controversies in MCPS had eased, or at least were generating fewer new reports. Yet even as the volume dipped, the financial impact soared. The office flagged $18.1 million in questioned costs, up sharply from $3.3 million the year before, and broadened its reach to 27 different agencies. What 2024 lacked in dollar totals, it made up for in sheer community engagement; what 2025 delivered was smaller in volume but far larger in financial consequence.
A Small Slice of a Massive Budget
Viewed against Montgomery County’s $7.1 billion operating budget, the OIG remains a minor expense—about 0.05 percent of total spending. Its findings, even at this year’s higher level, amount to just 0.25 percent of the budget. Critics may point out the modest scale, but watchdog offices are not judged only by direct recoveries. Their value lies in preventing waste, deterring misconduct, and providing a channel for residents and employees to raise concerns that might otherwise never surface.
MCPS remains the county’s largest and most scrutinized agency, consuming nearly half of all operating dollars. The OIG has described it as a “high-risk operation” requiring close oversight. In recognition, the County Council recently approved funding for two additional inspector general positions devoted solely to school system review. The 2024 surge in MCPS complaints showed how critical that oversight is; the 2025 report shows how the office can pivot to broader government issues while still keeping schools in focus.
Why Oversight Matters Beyond the Balance Sheet
By the raw numbers, the OIG justifies its cost: $18.1 million identified in exchange for $3.6 million spent. Yet the less tangible benefits are more important. Independent oversight deters misconduct before it happens, builds confidence in local government, and strengthens accountability in institutions managing billions of public dollars.
For Montgomery County residents, the OIG is more than an auditor. It is a safeguard, a deterrent, and a widely trusted outlet for concerns. At a fraction of the county budget, that assurance is not just worth the money. It’s indispensable.
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Publisher's Note (Editorial)
The Inspector General was created to keep county government honest, and that includes the County Council and its president. Oversight is not limited to contracts or budgets; it extends to how rules are enforced and whether constitutional protections are respected. When the Office of the Council blocks The Montgonion from media briefings while admitting others, it's the kind of selective treatment that invites independent scrutiny. The OIG exists to investigate exactly this kind of abuse of policy.
