The City Council put its investigation into travel by Baltimore Employees? Retirement Systems board members on hold while the board gets advice from outside counsel regarding its travel policies.
In letter to Council Member Kenneth Harris, D-District 4, Council Member Robert Curran, D-District 3, said the recent approval by the city Board of Estimates of a contract for the Groom Law Group to advise the board on its travel policies meant the council should wait until the firm issues its recommendations. “We as council body should have the opportunity to review the new proposed travel guidelines,” the letter said.
Groom, a Washington-based law firm that specializes in advising pension boards on fiduciary responsibilities, was recently awarded a $14,000 contract by the city Board of Estimates to “establish a guidelines committee that would review its current Education and Expense policy in the context of best practices adopted by other funds.”
Harris, who called for the investigation after revelations about a series of overseas trips by board members to exotic locations like Monte Carlo and Paris raised questions, said he is satisfied that the board is determined to make changes.
“I met with the board and they are committed to changing their travel policies, so I feel comfortable with waiting to see what they come up with,” he said.
Curran, who chairs the City Council?s Judiciary, Legislative and Investigations committees, said he consulted with Harris before he sent the letter.
