According to a report issued by the Office of the City Auditor, the city is not effectively managing many of the 1,600-plus pagers issued to city employees. The result, auditors say, is unnecessary spending and the possibility that the lack of oversight is “impacting the city’s ability to communicate in an emergency.” The city formed […]
Austin City Council Audit and Finance Committee
A sub-group of the Austin City Council whose members are charged with oversight of city fiscal operations and anything that falls under the purview of the Office of the City Auditor. Reports and documents for the committee can be found here.
Posted inCity Hall
City faces challenge in managing software licenses
The city does not have complete information on what software licenses it has or how much those licenses are costing, according to a report from the city auditor’s office. Auditors reported Wednesday that the city spent $7.4 million in Fiscal Year 2020 on three main types of office licenses, but as they told the City […]
Posted inCity Charter
City departments may now deal with small-scale violations
City Council unanimously approved a change to city code Thursday that will allow the Office of the City Auditor to refer small-scale secondary employment misuse cases to the city manager’s office. In cases where a city employee is found using city equipment for secondary work, the city auditor may now redirect the case as long […]
Posted inCity Hall
Audit and Finance considers Code Department’s present, with an eye toward the future
When City Council members voted to reduce the Austin Police Department budget, they promised to reassign some duties police have previously handled, but it was not clear which departments would take up those burdens. However, at least some Council members were considering the Austin Code Department to take over some law enforcement jobs. Last week, Council […]
Posted inCity Hall
Auditors seek change in reporting of minor violations
The City Council Audit & Finance Committee voted unanimously Wednesday to recommend a change in city regulations that will allow the Office of the City Auditor to refer “de minimis” or small-scale violations of city code related to misuse of city resources for secondary employment to the city manager or appropriate department. The full Council […]
Posted inAustin
Audit cites lax city oversight of Mexic-Arte Museum
The city has not done the work needed to develop and oversee its agreements with the Mexic-Arte Museum, according to a report from the Office of the City Auditor. Auditors reported finding a number of contract monitoring weaknesses, raising questions about whether the museum is living up to its agreement with the city. In particular, a […]
Posted inCity Hall
Audit highlights inefficiencies at cultural centers
Inefficient operations and a lack of strategic direction have threatened the city’s ability to provide for an increase in cultural opportunities for city residents, according to an extensive audit unveiled by the Office of the City Auditor during the City Council Audit & Finance Committee meeting Wednesday. The audit, which Council requested in 2019, required […]
Posted inCity Hall
Committee takes on task of fixing two retirement systems
After hearing about impending problems with two of the city’s retirement systems, the employees retirement system (COAERS) and the Austin police retirement system (APRS), the City Council Audit & Finance Committee voted unanimously Wednesday to designate itself as a legislative committee to propose changes to state law governing the two systems. The vote came at […]
Posted inPolice
APD community engagement audit finds some improvement but data lacking
Although the Austin Police Department has put considerable effort into improving its community policing efforts over the past four years and there have been some positive impacts, an audit by the Office of the City Auditor concluded there was insufficient data to determine how effective those efforts might be. A subsequent survey found that APD […]
Posted inPlanning
Audit finds tax increment financing works
According to a report from the Office of the City Auditor, the city has successfully used tax increment financing to attract development to places that otherwise might not have seen new infrastructure, such as Austin’s old airport, now the Mueller neighborhood. The city’s other three TIF districts are also on track to achieve the goals […]
Posted inPublic Health
Audit: Social services contract rules need update
The city auditor’s team studying the city’s social services contracting process found that even though Austin spends millions of dollars on social services contracts, the city “does not have an explicit definition of ‘social services’ and lacks a formal social service procurement policy.” Members of the team reported their findings to the Council Audit & […]
Posted inEnergy
Texas Gas Service proposes billing changes
Texas Gas Service, which serves 260,000 customers in Central Texas, including 220,000 within Austin’s city limits, is proposing a new rate design that will give customers new options for how their bills will be calculated. Larry Graham, manager of community relations, and Stacey McTaggart, regulatory director for the company, told Council’s Audit and Finance Committee […]