Audit Committee Meeting Summary - November 15, 2023
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Audit Committee Meeting Summary - November 15, 2023
The Audit Committee of the City of San Diego met on November 15, 2023, to discuss recommendation follow-up reports, pedestrian safety audits, contract extensions, fraud hotline updates, and other agenda items. The meeting included public comments on a range of topics, including smart street light technology, towing policies, and equity in recreation programming.
Consent Calendar
- Approval of Committee Actions (September 20, 2023): The committee unanimously approved the minutes from the previous meeting. Public comment was heard from a speaker opposing advanced metering systems, citing concerns about data control, radiation, and potential shutoff capabilities.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Non-Agenda Public Comment: Several speakers addressed items not on the agenda. Blair Beekman questioned the approval of a smart street light contract and urged more dialogue. Another speaker criticized the contract approval as negligent and sidestepping the Privacy Advisory Board. A speaker from District 3 requested better metrics for the public liability fund. Danj Mikkowski expressed trust in police and elected leaders regarding street light decisions.
- Public Comment on Item 4 (Recommendation Follow-up): Support expressed for the recommendation process, with calls for equity auditing and tech accountability. The original speaker noted that vacancies across departments hinder timely implementation of recommendations.
- Public Comment on Item 1 (Pedestrian Safety): Support for the audit's findings, with emphasis on prioritizing low-income neighborhoods. One speaker criticized Vision Zero goals as unrealistic and based on fraud.
- Public Comment on Item 2 (ACFR Contract Extension): Objections raised about single-source contracts and increased costs due to city delays.
- Public Comment on Item 3 (RFP for Audit Services): General concerns about the process and call for transparency.
- Public Comment on Item 5 (Fraud Hotline): Questions about public awareness of the hotline and resource constraints.
- Public Comment on Item 6 (Activity Report): Appreciation for the office's work and hope for timely hiring.
- Public Comment on Item 7 (Closed Session): Speaker urged transparency and investigation into cannabis regulations.
Discussion Items
- Item 4: Office of the City Auditor's Recommendation Follow-up Report (Part 2) (Informational) – Presentation by Deputy City Auditor Danielle Knighton and compliance staff. Reviewed 57 open recommendations from departments including Police, Compliance, Development Services, Economic Development, Performance & Analytics, and others. Updates provided on target dates and resource needs. Committee members raised questions on towing policy, ethics commission scope, and equity in parks. The department agreed to continue work with new target dates.
- Item 1: 2023 High-Risk Re-Review of Programs for Improving Pedestrian Safety – Presentation by City Auditor Andy Hanou and team. Found that while original 18 recommendations were largely implemented, pedestrian deaths have not declined since 2015. Issued 8 new recommendations to improve equity, communication, evaluation, and coordination. Committee unanimously accepted the report and forwarded it to City Council.
- Item 2: Authorization to Extend ACFR Contract and Increase Not-to-Exceed Amount – Request to extend the contract with MGO from February 2024 to December 2024 and increase amount by $72,101 (2.7%) to cover additional single audit costs and reclassification of existing expenses. Motion adopted unanimously.
- Item 3: Review and Approve Draft RFP for Outside Audit Services – Committee waived presentation; motion to approve the draft RFP passed unanimously.
- Item 5: Fraud Hotline Quarterly Update (Q1 FY2024) (Informational) – Reported 33 new reports, 36 closed, 48 open cases. Two Office of the City Auditor investigations substantiated. Committee accepted the report.
- Item 6: City Auditor's Monthly Activity Report (Informational) – Highlighted four reports issued since last meeting, seven audits in process, and progress on hiring. Planned improvements to recommendation follow-up process. Committee accepted the report.
- Item 7: Closed Session – Public Employee Performance Evaluation (City Auditor) – No reportable action taken.
Key Outcomes
- Unanimous approval of consent calendar, motion to accept pedestrian safety report, contract extension, and RFP for audit services.
- No action required on informational items 4, 5, and 6.
- Closed session concluded with no reportable action.
- Next steps: The auditor's office will implement process improvements for recommendation follow-up, and departments will continue work on open recommendations with updated target dates.
Meeting Transcript
Well, greetings, everybody, and welcome to the audit committee meeting of November fifteenth, twenty twenty-three. Thank you for being with us. While members of the public are able to attend the meetings in person, this meeting is being televised and live streamed on the city's website, and council administration will continue to make arrangements for the public to comment using the Zoom webinar platform. Members of the public who wish to provide virtual testimony must enter the virtual queue by raising their hand before the queue closes. Committee member Helpern. Committee member Tapshuri. Present. Please wait until the item to which you wish to speak is uh called before you raise your hand to speak. If you raise your hand during a non-comment period, your hand will be lowered. When I introduce the item you would like to comment on, please raise your hand by either tapping the raise your hand button on your device or by pressing star nine on your phone. All right, we will now take up approval of the committee actions of September 20th, 2023. Natalie, please proceed with public comment. Thank you, Chair. The public comment period for the committee actions of September 20th, 2023 is now open. If you're in person, please be sure you have a speaker slip submitted. And if you are online, please raise your hand at this time if you have comments. Each speaker will have one minute. Chair, we do not have any speaker slips submitted, so we will move to the virtual queue. We currently have one hand raised. The original, please provide your comments. You'll have one minute. Yeah, um, the advanced metering systems that you guys want to put in, it's it seems you know nice and all, because you want to be able to collect data, but it gets us in a very dangerous position because just like with cars that they're trying to put a kill switch into that they're going to past 2026. Um, this is a similar thing where they can just either turn off your power or water, um, and also the meters um, you know, emit radiation that is not good for um the people, and we're never you know addressing that. Um, but we're always setting things up so that we can shut things down uh in a very fast manner. And I don't think people quite understand that. They look at it as like an advancement in technology, and it may be, but it's also an advancement to keep you from going anywhere from getting your electricity or your water, and also a way to you know radiate you from the inside out like a microwave. Um, but you know, as long as we can collect data right, it's all that matters. So good on you guys. Thank you. And Chair, that concludes public comment on the past committee actions. Thank you, Natalie. I will now invite comments or questions at a motion from my colleagues on approval of the committee actions. So moved. All right, we have a motion from committee member Mafia. Second we have a second from committee member halpern. Uh and we will now have each committee member register your vote on the screen in front of you. And that motion passes unanimously. We will now take up non-agenda public comment. The council, the uh committee members respect and appreciate the public's input and are fully committed to protecting every participant's free speech rights at committee meetings. Uh, per rule 2.7, not agenda public comment is an opportunity for members of the public to comment on items that are not on the agenda but are within the subject matter jurisdiction of the committee. Each speaker will have two minutes. Thank you, Chair. And if you're in person, as a reminder, please be sure to have your speaker slip submitted for non-agenda public comment. If you're in the virtual queue, please raise your hand at this time. And chair, we do not have any speakers who've submitted a speaker slip, so we will move to the virtual queue. I will begin the five-minute timer for all callers who wish to raise their hand. We will begin with Blair Beekman. Please provide your comments. You'll have two minutes. Hi, uh Blair Beekman.
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