San Antonio Audit Committee Meeting – September 2, 2026

The Audit Committee of the San Antonio City Council convened on September 2, 2026, at 10:03 AM to review several pre-solicitation and post-award contract reports, accept two internal audit reports, and discuss the upcoming independent audit. No public comments were registered. The committee voted to forward multiple contracts to the full City Council and accepted the audit findings. Key discussions focused on evaluation criteria, local business participation, and overtime management in the fire department.

Consent Calendar

• Approval of Minutes (August 21, 2026): Unanimously approved.

Pre-Solicitation Reports (Discussion Items)

• IT Security Officer Services (Item 2): Presentation by Ben Cell, IT Chief. A contract for security officer services valued at $45 million over three years with two one-year renewal options. The solicitation is for all departments except Alamo Dome and airport. Evaluation criteria: 30 points experience/background/qualifications, 40 points proposed plan, 20 points price, 10 points small business. A 5% subcontracting requirement applies. Timeline: release September 11, 2025, with contract award expected January 2027. Councilmember Mesa González suggested adding public safety representatives to the evaluation committee. The item was informational; no vote taken.
• Main Plaza Renovations (Item 3): Presentation by Michael Shannon, Capital Delivery Director. A construction contract for renovations at 11 Main Plaza, District 1, estimated at $11 million. Funded by 2024 bond. Evaluation: 30 points experience/qualifications, 30 points project approach (high-profile space near cathedral), 10 points San Antonio experience, 15 points price. 6% SBE requirement. Timeline: advertisement end of September 2025, council approval March 2026, construction start May 2026. Councilmember White emphasized preserving the history and local character of Main Plaza. Informational.
• Housing Department Funding for Rental and Homeownership (Item 4): Presentation by housing department staff. Two solicitations totaling $11.2 million from 2022-2027 bond, HOME, and CDBG programs. Rental component: $8.7 million for rehabilitation/production serving up to 30% AMI, with 15% of units for families at or below 30% AMI, proximity to green/silver transit lines, family units, senior multifamily, and leverage of other funds. Homeownership: $2.5 million for single-family homes up to 80% AMI. Evaluation: 30 points accessibility (15% units at 30% AMI), project readiness/risk review, 15 points development experience, 10 points high-quality pre-K, 10 points nonprofit status, 5 points veteran-owned business. Timeline: pre-solicitation September 4, post-solicitation November, council approval January 2027. Councilmember Mesa González noted funding gaps and asked about project goals. Informational.

Post-Solicitation Approvals (Discussion and Votes)

• Culebra Road Planning and Design (Item 5): Michael Shannon presented. An RFQ issued for design services for a 5-mile corridor on Culebra Road (Districts 5, 6, 7) valued at $9 million from 2022 bond and other funds. Ten responses received; four shortlisted and interviewed. Company B received the highest score. The committee voted to forward the contract to the full council. Motion approved unanimously.
• Plumbing and Electrical Services for Convention Center and Alamodome (Item 6): Presentation by Mónica Ramos. Two annual contracts for plumbing and electrical services valued at $1.9 million annually, total $9.5 million over three years with two one-year renewal options. Funded by Visitor Facilities Fund. Evaluation: 45 points experience/qualifications, 30 points proposed plan, 10 points SBE, 10 points local preference, 5 points small business. Providers A and B were top-ranked. Councilmember Villagrán asked about energy efficiency in the convention center expansion. Motion to forward to full council passed unanimously.
• Library Materials and Processing Contracts (Item 7): Presentation by Neil McNeil. Three contracts for library materials (print and digital) in English and Spanish, valued at $24.5 million over five years with two one-year renewals. Six categories; Provider A was recommended for categories 1-3. No local vendors available. Councilmember White requested historical spending data and circulation trends before full council consideration. Motion to forward passed unanimously.

Internal Audit Reports

• Dangerous and Aggressive Dog Program Audit (Item 8): Presented by Michael Gutiérrez. Audit concluded the program operates effectively but identified improvements: inconsistent documentation of investigations, non-compliance with 30-day and annual inspections, untimely responses to court orders, and forgiveness of fees ($7,000+ in 22 cases, 19 waived without policy). Also, user access to Chameleon and Teams not properly monitored (90 of 260 users no longer with department). ACS management accepted recommendations and implemented new procedures in August 2026. Jengar, ACS director, noted workload increase (224 cases in 2024 to 500+ in 2025). Councilmembers emphasized public trust and safety. Audit accepted unanimously.
• Overtime for Uniformed Employees (Fire Department) Audit (Item 9): Presented by Nastasha Lish. Audit examined factors driving overtime not returning to pre-pandemic levels. Overtime increased from $15M to $20M between FY2022-2023; hours increased by ~980,000. Key issues: increased absenteeism, special assignments (87% increase from 2019 to 2023), discretionary leave, and lack of controls. 43% of retirees worked overtime hours before disability leave. Recommended tracking long-term absences, evaluating duties for civilian roles, implementing policies on premium pay, and improving internal controls in Telestaff system. Fire Chief Valerie Rustern and Assistant City Manager María provided context: overtime is needed for minimum staffing; some premium pay issues require collective bargaining. Estimated $1.5 million savings from implementing recommendations. Councilmember Mesa González asked about system integration with Telestaff and SAP. Audit accepted unanimously.

Independent Audit Communication (Item 10)

• Victoria Rader and Amanda (from Forbes Massars) presented the FY2026 independent audit plan. The audit will review internal controls, compliance, and financial statements. New this year: GASB 13 implementation. The committee was asked to report any suspected fraud or control deficiencies. The plan was noted; no formal vote required.

Key Outcomes

• All motions to forward contracts to the full City Council were approved unanimously.
• Both internal audit reports (dog program and fire overtime) were accepted unanimously.
• The independent audit plan was acknowledged; the committee will receive results later.
• The meeting adjourned at 12:00 PM after an executive session (no action taken).