Continuing to Meet the Highest Audit Standards and more 

September 5, 2013

CR Crop
Office of the City Auditor
1 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza, 4th Floor
Oakland, California 94612
(510) 238-3378

Dear Oaklanders,

 

In July, my Office underwent its second, rigorous peer review conducted by the Association of Local Government Auditors. The review found our reports to be well supported and our internal operations to be fully compliant with national standards, guaranteeing that our work is both credible and reliable. I'm proud to continue delivering on my promise of creating a model audit organization and to lead such a dedicated team of audit professionals. To learn more, read below. To see the Peer Review letter, click here.  

 

 

COUNCIL AUTHORIZES PRESIDENT TO RESPOND TO NON-INTERFERENCE AUDIT   

On July 25, the City Council authorized the Council President, Pat Kernighan, to respond to the recommendations of the Non-Interference in Administrative Affairs Audit on behalf of the Council. The Council President's draft responses (click here) are in agreement with the audit's recommendations. The Council President's formal response is forthcoming. We will issue a follow-up report on implementation of the audit recommendations in January 2014.  

   

NON-INTERFERENCE AUDIT MAKES NATIONAL NEWS  

A leading publication covering politics, policy, and management for state and local government leaders, Governing Magazine, reported "When individual council members are allowed to direct staff, it might seem to empower the legislative body, but in fact it diminishes its ability to work on a scale that can have real impact on community-level outcomes." Read the full article here.

 

FEATURED SPEAKER AT NATIONAL CONFERENCE

In May 2013, I was invited to speak on how an audit organization impacts the ethical culture of a city. The leading international organization of local government auditors, the Association of Local Government Auditors Annual Conference brought together approximately 400 professionals to share insights and techniques to create greater accountability, effectiveness, and efficiency in municipal operations through performance auditing. I shared my seven years of experience leading Oakland's audit organization and our fearless approach for speaking truth to power. 

BUSY FALL CHURNING OUT REPORTS
In the next four months, look for the release of these audits:

Workers' Compensation Contract Audit - to determine whether the Administration has effectively managed the workers' compensation Third Party Administration (TPA) contract and whether the TPA complied with contract provisions between fiscal year 2007-08 and fiscal year 2010-11.

Fire Department Vegetation Inspection Audit - to assess the Fire Prevention Bureau's effectiveness in performing vegetation management inspections within Oakland's Fire Hazard Severity Zone (i.e., the majority of the Oakland hills area).

Measure D Audit for FY 2009-10 - to verify whether or not the City has met the Measure D baseline spending requirement on expenditures for youth and children.

Business Tax Refund Audit - to determine if the City has appropriately processed and approved business tax refunds in accordance with the City Municipal Code.  

Four Audit Recommendation Follow-Up Reports:
*    2010 CEDA Loans Receivable Audit
*    2010 Public Works Agency Illegal Dumping Abatement Program Audit
*    2012 Accounts Payable Duplicative Payments Audit
*    2012 Police Technology Audit

AUDITS IN PROGRESS

*    Status of Oakland's Pension Funding
*    Measure Q: Library Services Retention and Enhancement Act for FY2009-10 through 2012-13
*    Measure D: (see description above) for FY 2010-11 and 2011-12  
 
 

Committed to serving you with the utmost integrity,


Sign Full

COURTNEY A. RUBY, CPA, CFE

City Auditor

 
NEWS RELEASE Tree Red
Office of the City Auditor  
City of Oakland 
____________________________________________________________________________________
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
September 5, 2013

 

                                                                                     

City Auditor Ruby's Office Meets Highest Professional Standards 
Independent audit confirms Oakland City Auditor's Office continues to meet highest standards

 

OAKLAND, CALIF (September 5, 2013) - An independent peer review, performed in July by the Association of Local Government Auditors, verified that City Auditor Courtney Ruby's office continues to meet the highest professional standards in government auditing. The Comptroller General of the United States issues Government Auditing Standards (GAS) as a nationwide guide for local, state, and federal audit organizations. Organizations that follow GAS, like Oakland's Office of the City Auditor, must undergo a peer review every three years.


The peer review analyzed the Office of the City Auditor's work and found internal operations to be fully compliant with national standards. It also highlighted that the office's reports were well supported, the office continually strives to improve audit processes to increase audit efficiency and impact, and that the office actively promotes transparency, access, and fraud deterrence. This is the second successful peer review of City Auditor Ruby's administration and covers 2010-2012.

"The Auditor's office is working diligently on behalf of the citizens to hold Oakland's city government accountable. This peer review provides the public the assurance that I, as your City Auditor, am first and foremost holding myself accountable and that I demand nothing less of the City then I do of my own Office. I am honored to be City Auditor, and I am honored to lead a team of dedicated professionals committed to upholding the highest professional standards," City Auditor Ruby stated.

See the peer review results at www.OaklandAuditor.com.  


ABOUT OAKLAND CITY AUDITOR RUBY 

City Auditor Courtney A. Ruby, CPA, CFE, took office in January 2007 and was reelected November 2, 2010. Performance audits of the Workers Compensation Contract, Measure D, and Fire Department Vegetation Inspection are in progress. Earlier audits reviewed Councilmember Interference in Administrative Affairs, the City's Parking Ticket Management, Oakland Police Department's technology management, the City's hiring practices, funding for children and youth services, library services, CEDA and PWA receivable series, Public Works Agency and the grant management for the Measure Y Violence Prevention Programs. In July 2013, an Association of Local Government Auditors peer review team found the Office of the City Auditor met the highest government standards in performance auditing. Visit: www.OaklandAuditor.com to learn more about Oakland's Office of the City Auditor.

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