The chief of investigations for Austin’s Office of the City Auditor filed a complaint late Wednesday against Betsy Spencer, the former director of Neighborhood Housing and Community Development, with the city’s Ethics Review Commission. In that complaint, Chief of Investigations Nathan Wiebe alleges that Spencer knew about a conflict of interest involving one of her […]
Office of the City Auditor
This city department is created by the city’s charter in order to establish and ensure “accountability transparency, and a culture of continuous improvement in city operations.”
Posted inPolice
Audit points out flaws in APD complaint process
The process for handling complaints against Austin police officers is difficult to use, and even high-profile incidents involving an officer’s use of force – such as the widely covered incident involving an Austin teacher – have not always made it onto the Austin Police Department’s database, according to an audit from the Office of the […]
Posted inParks
Audit says PARD needs more data, money
The Austin Parks and Recreation Department may not be able to continue to provide services that citizens expect, and it faces the prospect of either cutting back on services or finding more funding in order to ensure the department’s long-term sustainability, according to a draft of an audit conducted by the Office of the City […]
Posted inCity Hall
Code Department slammed (again) in city audit
The department charged with policing overgrown grass, short-term rentals and illegally discarded junk fails to follow a consistent protocol for overseeing violations and does not enforce violations with equal fervor on city-owned property, reads a report from the Office of the City Auditor. In a review of 306 code complaints, the auditor took issue with […]
Posted inCity Hall
City audit finds trouble with affordable housing
A city audit has found that Austin does not have an effective strategy to meet its current affordable housing needs. The audit of the Neighborhood Housing and Community Development Department found that NHCD “has not adopted a clear goal, established timelines, or developed affordable housing numerical targets to evaluate its efforts in fulfilling the City’s […]
Posted inTransportation
Airport car rental audit shows minor problem
The city of Austin collected about $10 million in 2012 and $12 million in 2013 in airport car rental fees, according to a city audit. Assistant City Auditor Walt Persons told the Council Audit and Finance Committee on Wednesday that one rental car company owed the city $15,000 in concession fees in 2013 and another […]
Posted inPremium Types
TipSheet: Austin City Council 5.28.15
The Austin City Council will meet Thursday. Below is a list of items we’re watching. In the interest of space, we’ve decided not to post the entire agenda here. The Office of the City Clerk hosts a copy at its website, here. 1. Approve third reading of an ordinance amending the electric rate schedules in […]
Posted inAustin
Animal Commission reviews audit criticisms
While members of the Animal Advisory Commission acknowledged Wednesday the deficiencies identified in the city’s first audit of Animal Services, they also argued that scrutinizing city animal shelters differs from auditing other city departments. “Housing animals is not an exact science,” said Commissioner Babette Ellis. “And with an open-intake shelter, you never know what’s going to be […]
Posted inCity Council
Council committee examines Animal Services audit
Unlike the majority of city audits, the troubling Animal Services audit did not come with an immediate plan of action from the department. However, City Council’s Audit and Finance Committee did find some answers to the many questions its members asked at Thursday’s meeting. Animal Services concurs with the findings in the audit. However, Auditor […]
Posted inCity Hall
Audit reveals trouble in city’s animal shelters
A city audit of Austin Animal Services has revealed serious problems within the department and its shelters. The audit found that the department does not have sufficient resources to meet its 90 percent live outcome goal while maintaining state requirements and industry best practices. The city conducted the audit from October 2012 through November 2014. […]
Posted inCity Hall, Local Politics
Ethics panel wants last word on complaint inquiries
Austin’s Ethics Review Commission voted unanimously this week to recommend City Council ensure the commission has the last word in ethical complaints against the mayor, members of City Council and all of its appointees, city executives, and assistant city attorneys. “The main issue is the lack of due process,” said commission Vice Chair Peter Einhorn. […]
Posted inAustin, Budget, City Council, Local Politics
Audit calls Public Library’s equity into question
Despite not having a formal definition of “equity” available to the public, the Austin Public Library insists that it uses equity as a guiding principle in all decisions. The city’s public library system challenged a report presented last week at City Council’s Audit and Finance Committee meeting claiming that its performance-measure data, particularly in the […]