Gov. Martin O?Malley said he believes Natural Resource Secretary John Griffin did nothing improper in the proposed sale of a Kent Island property to the state, despite the request by state Sen. Andy Harris that the attorney general probe Griffin?s involvement with the deal.
Comptroller Peter Franchot is also raising concerns aboutthe $5 million purchase of 271 acres and questioning Griffin?s involvement. The state chose to take the higher appraisal for property.
Last year, Griffin headed the regional operations of Buchart-Horn, an engineering and consulting firm, and the firm did do business with the U.S. Land Alliance, the owner of the property. Land Alliance President David Sutherland was a member of O?Malley?s transition team on the environment, as was Griffin, head of natural resources under former Gov. Parris Glendening.
Griffin spokesman Olivia Campbell said, “He had absolutely no involvement with the appraisal or the negotiations,” which were all handled by the Department of General Services. Buchart-Horn did a study of the property and its use for recreation.
Sutherland said suggestions that Griffin helped the company he had done work for are “very far from the truth.”
“John Griffin is a man of integrity,” Sutherland said. “My negotiations were with the county” and “he was not involved whatsoever.”
Sutherland said even though the state took the higher appraisal of $4.6 million and Queen Anne?s County threw in $400,000 more, his own appraisal showed the property was worth $6 million.
“We went down $1 million and they came up $400,000 more,” Sutherland said.
The Land Alliance bought the 1,483-acre Kudner Property for about $12,000 per acre, and the company is selling the 271-acre parcel for $18,500 an acre, according to a letter from Franchot to Griffin.
“To accuse John Griffin to have any influence over those appraisals is ridiculous,” Sutherland said. “I think it?s a shame” that Franchot is trying to hold up the settlement on the sale of the property, which was approved by the Board of Public Works on June 20.
“We don?t have anything to hide here,” Sutherland said. “We felt like we left money on the table.”
O?Malley said he talked to Griffin about the issue and was satisfied with his response.
Franchot sent Griffin a letter on Monday with 11 detailed questions about the deal. Late Monday, Griffin was preparing a response to Franchot?s questions.
