Several Baltimore County Council members questioned the financial stability and experience of a protection agency their administrators chose to provide security at the county?s courthouse and two office buildings.
County staff selected Baltimore-based and minority-owned I.W.G. ProtectionAgency Inc. from among eight companies vying to replace an expired contract with the Watkins Group. But council members Tuesday said the three-year-old company may be too young and inexperienced for their comfort.
Staff acknowledged the company?s bid appeared unusually low and could result in I.W.G.?s financial loss ? alarming Councilman Ken Oliver, D-District 4.
“The county should not be in the business of putting companies out of business,” said Oliver, a banker who is the council?s only minority member. “This is a minority contract and if [I.W.G.] goes out of business, it?s going to come back to the council.”
The council is scheduled to vote on the contract Monday. Under the agreement, the county will pay I.W.G. about $350,000 per year to provide eight armed guards: two at two posts in the courthouse, two in the county?s main office building and two in another office complex known as the Jefferson Building. The company agreed to provide guards after hours, on holidays and weekends for free.
Finance Director Fred Homan and Baltimore County police Maj.William Kalista defended the company, noting its chief executive officer, Gregory Isaac Jr., is a retired state police sergeant. Isaac, who did not return a phone call by press time, says on his company?s Web site that he is a former Baltimore police officer, but does not mention the state police.
State police could not verify his employment by press time.
Homan said the county is not in a position to critique the company?s financial risks. Kalista said the department checked the company?s references and will conduct background checks on its employees.
“So far, everything seems fine,” Kalista said. “They are all enthusiastic and ready to take on the contract.”
