Plymyer: Could employee performance evaluations have prevented the state’s takeover of Back River from Baltimore?

Serious personnel problems within the Baltimore Department of Public Works (DPW) led to the state takeover of the city’s Back River Wastewater Treatment Plant. The Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) reported that the plant was on the verge of “catastrophic failure” when it was inspected on March 23rd. One of the likely problems is the haphazard manner in which the city does employee performance evaluations. City Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) Chris Shorter identified the problem early in his tenure.