Some residents and stakeholders in Baltimore County are demanding greater transparency over the funding and approval process for the Rocky Point Golf Course clubhouse renovation, amid conflicting accounts from officials about how the project was financed and authorised.
The renovation project is designed to upgrade the clubhouse, adding a grill area, outdoor seating, and a banquet facility. Concerns were first raised after questions emerged over whether public funds were appropriately allocated and whether the County Council had proper oversight of the spending.
Former Baltimore County Administrator Fred Homan said the situation highlights governance concerns within the county budget process.
“What we really have here is an issue of checks and balances, separation of power in a county budget process,” Homan said.
According to County Council Chair Mike Ertel, lawmakers previously approved cuts totalling $6.6 million from the capital budget after raising concerns about using taxpayer money for the project. Ertel said council members believed the renovation should have been financed through the County Revenue Authority instead.
“Especially when the Council – the legislative body that generally must approve County contracts, grants, and other fiscal spending – was given no oversight role in the previous Administration’s unilateral approval of the funding,” Ertel said during a budget address.
Officials noted that the cut was made from the General Government Capital Improvement Fund Appropriation rather than a specific renovation line item.
However, county officials have disputed claims that the project was not properly approved, insisting that the Council did in fact approve funding during the FY 2025 budget process. A county spokesperson said:
“Baltimore County has paid approximately $2.4 million of the previously authorized $6.6 million project out of the capital budget for funds dedicated to the revenue authority.”
The spokesperson added that the funding was included under a budget category labelled “Revenue Authority Capital Projects and Maintenance.”
A representative for former County Executive and now Congressman Johnny Olszewski also defended the process, saying:
“The county council approved every budget submitted by Congressman Olszewski during his time as County Executive.”
The debate continued into Monday night, with Ertel reiterating his position that the Council did not explicitly approve the Rocky Point project as presented.
“The Council did not previously approve the Rocky Point project. So what was in the budget was from 2018 through 2025; there was some line item in the Budget for 5th District parking garages and then later there were words added to the end,” he said.
Ertel further questioned why taxpayer funds were being used for the clubhouse when the golf course itself generates revenue through the county’s revenue authority.
“And we found out that the Rocky Point Golf Course was part of the money that was being allocated. And that’s when we said, we don’t want money, public money, taxpayer money going towards… It’s a public golf course, but there’s a revenue authority that generates revenue. And our thought was, if the golf courses generate revenue, why isn’t the revenue authority paying for a clubhouse? Why are the taxpayers?” he added.
County officials maintain that the funding and approvals were handled within existing budget structures.
