A report by Baltimore County’s Inspector General finds that County Executive Johnny Olszewski did nothing wrong regarding a payment to a retired firefighter, whose brother is a friend of Olszewski’s.

The county paid Philip Tirabassi more than $83,000 in a settlement to back out of an agreement that would have increased his pension.

Media reports from earlier this year had questioned the settlement.

Inspector General Kelly Madigan said that payment was legal and there is no evidence that Olszewski’s friendship with Tirabassi’s brother influenced the payment.

In a statement, Olszewski said, “I have always said my decisions are guided by fairness, transparency, and a steadfast commitment to serving the public interest. The findings of this independent investigation by the Office of the Inspector General leaves no doubt in its affirmation of my integrity in how I operate and lead.”

However, Madigan did find that the county acted improperly when it did not release the settlement agreement to a former county employee who had filed a Maryland Public Information Act (MPIA) request for the information.

The employee, former County Administrative Officer Fred Homan, sued for the records.

To date, the county has spent more than $364,000 in that legal fight. It hired outside counsel because the county attorney is a defendant in the lawsuit.

In an interview Madigan said, “While we found no wrongdoing on the part of the county executive, there were certainly missteps that were taken along the way that resulted in the settlement and all this money being spent.”

Madigan added, “To me this is an accountability report. Baltimore County is a local government and they can make decisions based on their best judgment but they have to be accountable for the money they spend and the decisions they make.”