Six former Baltimore County Council members seek release of full audit report on Rocky Point clubhouse
“As former electeds, this issue really jumped out at us,” says Tom Quirk, a three-term Baltimore County councilman, after reading Brew articles about the clubhouse renovation
Above: The public is warned to stay away from the clubhouse, whose expensive overhaul is nearing completion. (9/1/26 Brew photograph)
Citing articles published in The Brew, six past members of the Baltimore County Council are demanding the release of the unredacted auditor’s report about $6.6 million in public funds spent to renovate a golf clubhouse at the direction of former County Executive Johnny Olszewski and his successor, Kathy Klausmeier.
“We are greatly concerned by David Plymyer’s recent commentaries in the Baltimore Brew on the County’s expenditure of millions of taxpayer dollars on the Rocky Point clubhouse,” says the letter addressed to Thomas Bostwick, the Council’s secretary and counsel.
Noting that the current lawmakers and the Klausmeier administration were given the full report before key portions were redacted by Bostwick, the letter says that “the only people that haven’t been allowed to see the full report . . . are the members of the public.
“That is especially unfortunate since the County has no Inspector General and no Deputy Inspector General to investigate the information provided by Mr. Plymyer. And an investigation by the Inspector General is required to be made available to the public.”
The letter, sent to Bostwick last week and made available to The Brew, requests the audit be released under the Maryland Public Information Act (MPIA). The redacted audit was disclosed in June to retired county administrator Fred Homan, who had also filed an MPIA request.
The letter was signed by Tom Quirk, a three-term Democratic councilman (2010-22) from Catonsville, and five others:
• Vicki L. Almond, a 2nd District councilwoman from 2010-18, who narrowly lost the 2018 Democratic primary for county executive to Olszewski.
• Vincent J. Gardina, a 5th District Democrat from 1990-2010.
• Todd Huff, a 3rd Distreict Republican from 2010-14.
• S.G. “Sam” Moxley, a 1st Distreict Democrat from 1994-2010.
• Wayne Skinner, a 4th District Republican from 1998-2002.
Tom Quirk in 2019 when he was chair of the county council. (Mark Reutter)
“Potential violations of executive power”
“As former electeds, we know each other and have conversations about the state of the county. This issue really jumped out at us,” Quirk said today.
What especially alarmed the former officeholders was the revelation that Olszewski and county administrator D’Andrea Walker had gone ahead with the renovation even after the Council had eliminated its funding in the FY26 budget.
“I think there are some clear issues regarding the separation of powers and potential violations of executive power,” Quirk said.
Plymyer, who retired in 2014 as Anne Arundel County Attorney, questioned whether the administration’s disbursement of taxpayer funds to the Baltimore County Revenue Authority, which maintains Rocky Point and other public golf courses, was lawful, and whether the current council, once it learned of the administration’s sleight-of-hand, intentionally covered it up.
The Rocky Point clubhouse is across Back River from the residence of former county executive and now U.S. Congressman Johnny Olszewski (black diamond). Olszewski reportedly learned to play golf on the course. (Google Maps)
Costs that Rapidly Escalated
In 2021, the council approved the use of $500,000 to county funds to update the clubhouse, which is located on a 215-acre public golf course in southwest Essex where Back River flows into the Chesapeake Bay.
In October 2024, Olszewski announced with great fanfare the complete renovation and expansion of the clubhouse, including a new commercial kitchen, 12,000 square feet of event space to seat about 180 people, a 24-30 seat grille area, new restrooms, pro shop and storage space.
“This exciting renovation to the Rocky Point Clubhouse will ensure our beloved public golf course continues to be a regional gem where athletes and enthusiasts of all ages can learn the sport, build new connections with their community and enjoy all that Baltimore County has to offer,” he said.
Today the clubhouse is nearing completion almost incognito.
He presented the project as costing $8.25 million and said it was being “supported by Baltimore County and the Baltimore County Revenue Authority.”
Today the project is nearing completion almost incognito. There are no public signs hailing the building’s reconstruction or names of the public officials responsible for the project.
Contractors are currently putting on the finishing touches amid temporary structures, fencing and barriers that warn the public not to enter.
On October 23, 2024, Olszewski (center) presides over the groundbreaking for the clubhouse. BELOW: A temporary structure is now set aside for golfers and the public. (baltimorecountymd.gov, Baltimore Brew photo)
According to Quirk’s letter, “Mr. Plymyer has alerted us to County Administrative Officer [D-Andrea] Walker’s admission to the Council that the agreement she signed with the Revenue Authority was not presented to the Council. That agreement, signed in August 2024, refers to itself as a grant agreement 11 times within its four corners.
“As a grant agreement, it is subject to the provisions of Article 3, Title 10 of the County Code. Therefore, the Council must be advised of the agreement so that any individual Council member can require it to be presented for formal legislative approval. That’s the law.”
Walker “does not say just what other provision of the law justifies the expenditure of millions by the Olszewski-Klausmeier Administration without receiving prior approval from the Baltimore County Council,” the letter continues.” And we’re not sure why the matter of the legality of the agreement/expenditures was addressed by the CAO rather than by County Attorney Benjamin.”
Pointing out that the county Inspector General’s Office, which is tasked with investigating waste, fraud and corruption in county government, is currently without and virtually defunct, the letter argues that “the full report of Acting County Auditor Irwin must be released to the public.
“There is no justification, it adds, “for the Council members to withhold that information from the public.”
Links to Brew Articles
• Baltimore County inspector general ‘s office – long rudderless – is now headless (8/27/26)
A temporary structure near the clubhouse renovation.