[{"_1":2,"_123":-5,"_124":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99,111],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6478870,"mediaKeyId","5707842-d2d002c711d82ed03e2306c21b2ad12d","parentId",5707842,"title","Office of Audits and Performance seeks to expand audit coverage, sustain training and publish employee survey","audioSeconds",756,"startMs",5834000,"endMs",6590000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5707842-d2d002c711d82ed03e2306c21b2ad12d&start=5834&end=6590","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5707842-d2d002c711d82ed03e2306c21b2ad12d/thumbnail_5834000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6478870/Indianapolis-City/Marion-County/Indiana/Office-of-Audits-and-Performance-seeks-to-expand-audit-coverage-sustain-training-and-publish-employee-survey","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6478870-df2f7c454732f516573239aa8a906a85/orig.mp4?Expires=1771157262&Signature=M~D9DIKNvGtdG5FhiTFHeCjatwzoCP5lZcGFFFysWWOSk687~l5EUeRx8ZbDpgtnrNKhfL4sT8ZKLzR2iUKaax4BarwpdCrkVq8dmDhx~6JuehsNXbzn-ZF~MDDIBYujEztEK~jApgWokMjydT4k~C~ErXgMe9P3UPYL4fV8YhTbIvmiX6WnuZdSTB92WihwD34xeAO4Szf4zdfIuct-THG0zPK7SPHIWKXbH2elH~IRdQudGs5QWqdFOnSMt7LvvV7Fq61GqRYsnwWl0m5wIecN5FDXD1N5e4nbq3hD~yjNcXnfAN6muOE82oyJ8Xs3NQdOd3OYUsXyshO8u0bZqg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City Council of Indianapolis, IN","date","2025-09-02T00:00:00Z","article","Leslie Jones, director of the Office of Audits and Performance, and Deputy Director Vivian Agnew presented the office’s 2026 proposed budget and highlighted plans to expand audit coverage, continue enterprise training and finalize an employee survey conducted this summer.

Jones said the office has nine authorized positions and was actively recruiting for a senior auditor; staffing stood at eight during the presentation. The office provides two complementary functions: a small audit team that performs performance audits under government auditing standards, and a performance-innovation team that conducts training in lean methods, data literacy and Power BI. Jones said the performance team has trained 42 employees across 23 departments this year and offered 745 staff hours of performance-management training year to date; the office launched a virtual lean training this year to widen access.

Key 2026 goals include at least a 25% expansion in audit coverage measured by units (the office expects to increase engagements from seven units in the prior period to at least nine), maintaining performance training participation (measured in training hours) and continuing to support enterprise culture-change efforts, including the city-county employee survey. Agnew said the employee survey closed recently and that the consultant will conduct focus groups; Jones said the office expects a final report by the end of the year.

On budget specifics, the office proposed a total budget just under $1.95 million — a $55,727 reduction from the 2025 budget achieved largely through reallocating character-1 and character-3 funds and by using vacancy savings to support the employee-survey work. Jones said the office preserved roughly $10,000 for staff continuing-education expenses.

Jones and Agnew emphasized collaborative approaches and cross‑agency engagement, and noted results from the inaugural indie performance symposium, which showcased staff-developed Power BI work and process-improvement projects. The office said it will stand up an internal intranet page to make audit and performance resources more accessible and may later expand the page for public-facing reporting.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City Council of Indianapolis, IN - Administration and Finance Committee","oneSentenceSummary","Leslie Jones, director of the Office of Audits and Performance, presented a modestly reduced 2026 budget and said the office will pursue at least a 25% expansion in audit coverage, continue its indie performance training program and publish the enterprise employee survey results by year end.","taxTitle","Indianapolis City, Marion County, Indiana","taxId",3627,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6478876,"ISA presents 2026 budget, new chargeback model and cybersecurity priorities",1107,3615000,4722000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5707842-d2d002c711d82ed03e2306c21b2ad12d&start=3615&end=4722","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5707842-d2d002c711d82ed03e2306c21b2ad12d/thumbnail_3615000.jpg","/articles/6478876/Indianapolis-City/Marion-County/Indiana/ISA-presents-2026-budget-new-chargeback-model-and-cybersecurity-priorities","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6478876-3612a36531d806c029f29a47f262f88f/orig.mp4?Expires=1771157262&Signature=f7HhHDJOZ9cFuZKym-5~GGEb~duQeunUyWU~IS0TPZndchMVu4aDpa~oIlWpuW6f43jt50BS-CL1~LwPtOP2otQBACnHR3DJ5u7Qs5O3rAC4MEl6YeKqP6WQRQQzvAx97ehCYf4yM~HioKAGG8NzSOvsNvc8rq6rkonjZekZEtcsepOTfNCigcI-Mga3ffvb3rXSl0qwN5OR8Dz5NXUCuF~8cN2fXiuvsaOmVti-6cy5M6PJlq06u6H55rubIWqP2T-mMXSNd6Bu6mtLZThd7HOIssQuu3SUmNdK5fDrYnr4e5FHkVi2HhhX9qdmkxSGtvBpS9D-~7uraQ2kptzQLA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Director Hill, chief information officer for the Information Services Agency, presented ISA’s proposed 2026 budget and described operational priorities including a new chargeback model, cyber resilience work, an enterprise generative-AI strategy and multiple infrastructure and application projects.

ISA reported 52 full-time positions and one part-time role, with 46 positions filled and six vacancies maintained “by design” for budget flexibility; the agency supplements staff with two managed-service providers that add roughly 100 additional technical staff equivalents. Director Hill said ISA’s customer-satisfaction ratings have been in the high 90s (98% recently) and described operational metrics for incident, catalog, change-request and problem-management workflows.

On finances, ISA proposed a $45.1 million expense budget and $45.8 million revenue budget. Director Hill described the new chargeback approach: ISA will move to charging direct, itemized costs for applications and services (for example, Office 365 license costs will be charged directly to the consuming department) and consolidate prior overhead into an ISA core-services bucket that is allocated per FTE in the budget book. Hill acknowledged the model is imperfect and noted the core-services allocation will be refined in future years.

Hill emphasized cybersecurity and resilience planning. He said ISA maintains defense-in-depth controls, tabletop exercises and response plans for major incidents. The agency classifies certain services and sites as critical (for example, fire stations and other public-safety infrastructure) and maintains redundancies and incident-response procedures; Hill noted the city conducts exercises and recovery planning but that resilience work must be “evergreen.” Councilors asked whether the city has disaster recovery plans and whether analog fallbacks are in place for essential public-safety services; Hill answered that procedures exist and that ISA partners with departments to define critical services and recovery postures.

Other ISA priorities include a near-complete Windows 11 rollout, an OpenGov procurement and contract portal effort, a major GIS upgrade, Webex Calling migration and expansion of public Wi-Fi in parks (30 parks live as of the presentation). Hill said ISA has launched enterprise AI workshops and an InnovateUs partnership that provided AI and Google-certificate training for staff and the enterprise.

Councilors questioned chargeback impacts and legacy systems. Hill said the chargeback change makes application costs more transparent for departments and allows agencies to evaluate alternatives, while the ISA core-services bucket captures shared overhead. Councilors asked ISA to continue system rationalization, to pursue modernization and to work with departments to reduce redundant or legacy applications.

No committee vote was taken on ISA’s budget during the presentation; ISA staff said they will continue vendor negotiations, infrastructure planning and engagement with department partners on the new chargeback model.","The city’s Information Services Agency (ISA) presented a $45.1 million expense budget and outlined a new chargeback model that itemizes direct application costs while moving overhead to a per‑FTE core-services bucket; ISA leaders also reviewed cyber resilience, AI training and planned infrastructure upgrades.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6478881,"Corporation Counsel outlines 2026 budget, opioid funds and active litigation; explains tort-claim process",480,2053000,2533000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5707842-d2d002c711d82ed03e2306c21b2ad12d&start=2053&end=2533","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5707842-d2d002c711d82ed03e2306c21b2ad12d/thumbnail_2053000.jpg","/articles/6478881/Indianapolis-City/Marion-County/Indiana/Corporation-Counsel-outlines-2026-budget-opioid-funds-and-active-litigation-explains-tort-claim-process","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6478881-3ae099957f4a8ba1cb4df0892090236c/orig.mp4?Expires=1771157262&Signature=KApSrI1sEb5Hw96LfcTabgBwmu4F9bIarRGoZHBaZa98rxeIvpSIQ7Vnm27XICkstMU5sSdhQXIA2PSxcpsOYa-8GYenogzATtue6~ij-ztgSvx0F~Tc6Z0hK6c1M2LK6DMFLyBsJJKYPl8iHEobf759au6qmRA2f2zJq-snQsfcohKbS0d46ZykSJRPDtbN3TBFuPj0lrV28tJ48e0e24VzYnYKO7Jp8H0mlrhxFnqwOWDnYc8drCrTJx3hiZNZDp5S-M~tf0QRTkrGzUhbEXtTpajOdC51EexdSLW3Wwp8BiVkR9o6K1zQx4fUKylpiAg6u3VKneAf-sK4lm7XmQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Brandon Bealer, corporation counsel for the city-county, presented the Office of Corporation Counsel’s proposed 2026 budget to the Admin & Finance Committee and discussed staffing, litigation workload, the city’s role in major national litigation and the local tort-claim process.

Bealer described OCC as the in-house law firm for the city and county, noting three principal divisions — litigation, counseling and the city prosecutor’s office — and said the office comprises 45 authorized positions with 36 currently filled and nine vacancies. He said litigation caseloads increased this year with 110 newly filed cases to date and highlighted efforts to stabilize staffing and retain attorneys.

On litigation of broad local interest, Bealer said OCC is participating as a plaintiff in national opioid litigation and has received settlement funds; he said $16 million had been received to date and that projected opioid-related revenue could reach $71 million by the end of the process. Bealer referenced delays linked to a bankruptcy proceeding involving the Sackler family (recorded in the committee transcript as “Stackler”) and said the office recently signed off on a matter that should allow movement on settlements.

Bealer also discussed the class-action litigation involving Hyundai and Kia vehicle thefts that has required substantial police-record production. He said Indianapolis was among the jurisdictions selected for extra data collection and is in phase 2 of discovery; multiple municipalities remain in discovery and some jurisdictions declined participation because the workload was too heavy.

Councilors asked about several operational matters. Councilor Nick Roberts asked how residents file tort claims for potholes; Bealer described the statutory tort-claim process: a claimant files a tort claim form (online or in person), OCC’s tort-claim investigator conducts an investigation and the office evaluates liability and damages. If liability is found, Bealer said the office typically offers settlement; the statutory 90-day response period was referenced as governing the timeframe after a claim is filed. Bealer also said OCC can withhold payments or pursue debarment when contractors do not meet diversity goals (this topic was discussed by OMWBD earlier in the meeting).

Bealer described the Office of the City Prosecutor’s work prosecuting ordinance violations and said last year the prosecutor’s office filed 811 cases and closed about 1,012; this year-to-date filings and closures were also reported. He noted a focus on public-records resources, including hiring a deputy chief counsel to concentrate on public-record requests. Bealer described retention efforts, professional-development supports and reimbursement for attorney licensing as tools to preserve institutional knowledge and reduce turnover.

On a prosecutor-related program, Bealer summarized the special assistant U.S. attorney program (partly funded by council appropriation) intended to dedicate federal prosecutorial resources to violent crime in Marion County; he said one hire has been successful, two other positions remain vacant, and federal hiring freezes paused progress but a newly appointed U.S. attorney has resumed discussions.

Bealer closed by describing budget variances: OCC is holding off on certain hires to manage character-1 costs and expects increases in chargebacks and uncontrolled character-3 costs related to professional services and litigation support (experts, transcripts, mediation, etc.).","Brandon Bealer, corporation counsel, presented the Office of Corporation Counsel’s 2026 budget, discussed staffing gains, ongoing opioid litigation and municipal participation in the Kia/Hyundai class action, and summarized the city’s tort claim process for pothole and related claims.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6478885,"OMWBD outlines 2026 budget, rollout of disparity study and software switch to streamline vendor certification",1172,164000,1336000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5707842-d2d002c711d82ed03e2306c21b2ad12d&start=164&end=1336","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5707842-d2d002c711d82ed03e2306c21b2ad12d/thumbnail_164000.jpg","/articles/6478885/Indianapolis-City/Marion-County/Indiana/OMWBD-outlines-2026-budget-rollout-of-disparity-study-and-software-switch-to-streamline-vendor-certification","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6478885-2984f35cbec6c9e6bf7db8fe88c512f9/orig.mp4?Expires=1771157262&Signature=U-CmAUuZZlmuaZcWoaFpL4de3-WDYrOY3BGUkF4EPQLsfYbyefK73ZMES-A-61M6hJlx-63tnCB3yTpFGUMn8iNYuL1WbRG5kUzPL~yPgTbHYwFiQFA-pd~BSHNarGzZyZoUlMljozQw04ZPPFSxPhs-J27Ai6yuIBZkBrtuon2C1NH7tJ31FMT-oalINhvu52tBwKU-Depx4SGBeF2klvtCnYhrsMrGvNDgRNVp2f9W8axEY8RUEuAI9H~5krBnom70zFlY9Ib2dB3TkC346RhQlg-AZir~4vgxmdxm25UTBByyldD0fzNu1MSsP3-Nm6STHfIUUfecdY83XOVHng__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Director Fredericks, director of the Office of Minority and Women Business Development, presented the office’s proposed 2026 budget and priorities to the Indianapolis City-County Council Admin & Finance Committee and described program goals including launch of a new vendor-management platform and implementation of the 2025 disparity study.

The office gave a data-driven overview of its work supporting supplier diversity and small, local businesses. Fredericks told the committee the office has reached nearly 1,000 community members and has seen “record breaking increase in certified vendors over the past 5 years” following the 2020 update to the business utilization plan. The presentation included the office’s certification metrics through August 2025: roughly 112 certified vendors, 61 pending certifications, 242 new and recertification applications this year, 166 business and bid consultations, 73 bid opportunities reviewed, 17 site visits and two commercial useful function visits. Fredericks said the average time to certify or recertify a business is 76 days (noting paperwork indicates the process can take up to 90 days).

Fredericks said the office prioritized processing certification applications in 2024 because staffing shortages forced a temporary shift away from consultations and outreach; earlier in 2025 the office reached full staffing and resumed outreach. The office is switching from a paper application process to a B2G software platform (vendor management software) to streamline online applications and outreach; staff said they expect a phased launch in the fall.

On the disparity study, Fredericks said the consultant’s work covers city spending and usage of diverse businesses from 2019–2024, examining major spending categories (construction, professional services and public-private partnerships), procurement practices and legal framework, and will include recommendations. The office plans stakeholder meetings in the weeks after the study’s release, an internal working group to review recommendations, and a return to the council and the mayor’s office with proposed changes. Fredericks emphasized the council and mayor will decide which consultant recommendations to adopt.

Councilors asked about specific trends: Councilor Maggie Lewis asked why spending with veteran-owned businesses (VBEs) decreased; Fredericks said relatively few VBEs are certified and the 2024 contract activity had not yet produced payments to those firms, predicting a likely increase in reported spending in the next year as projects mature. Councilor Derek Cahill asked about an apparent character-1 (personnel) reduction in the OMWBD budget despite cost-of-living and insurance increases; Fredericks said Office of Finance and Management (OFM) would need to provide the precise budget mechanics and offered to obtain a written explanation. Councilor Boots asked the disparity-study scope and Fredericks confirmed it spans 2019–2024 and includes procurement and public-private partnerships.

Fredericks described enforcement and compliance tools for contractors that fail to meet diversity goals: the office examines contractors’ documented “good faith efforts” and, where those efforts were followed, may accept noncompliance; where no plan or inadequate effort exists the office may withhold payments and, in extreme or repeated cases, pursue debarment from city projects. Fredericks said the office prioritizes early engagement and training for developers and contractors to avoid sanctionable noncompliance.

The office highlighted outreach programs including three annual certification workshops, a good-faith-effort workshop, ten bid-submission workshops (conducted with the purchasing department), a vendor-of-the-month promotion with media partners, reverse trade shows and a large networking event at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Fredericks said the office will expand outreach to community groups the office is not fully reaching, including the Burmese community.

The committee did not take a final vote on the budget during the presentation; the office offered to provide additional data on the 2023–2024 spend percentages and to follow up on budget-line clarifications.","The Office of Minority and Women Business Development presented its 2026 budget and a plan to implement a new vendor management platform and public disparity-study recommendations; staff said certification throughput and outreach rose despite temporary understaffing in 2024.",{"_33":112,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":113,"_41":114,"_43":115,"_45":116,"_47":117,"_49":118,"_51":119,"_53":120,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":121,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":122,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6478890,"Admin & Finance committee recommends reappointment of Ebony Chapel to Alcohol and Beverage Board",96,39000,135000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5707842-d2d002c711d82ed03e2306c21b2ad12d&start=39&end=135","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5707842-d2d002c711d82ed03e2306c21b2ad12d/thumbnail_39000.jpg","/articles/6478890/Indianapolis-City/Marion-County/Indiana/Admin-Finance-committee-recommends-reappointment-of-Ebony-Chapel-to-Alcohol-and-Beverage-Board","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6478890-9e41e98e63ee0ed24a1cc3d55316f11b/orig.mp4?Expires=1771157262&Signature=DV-9ayMHxfDBsCQ6UOk234A6HUXwDrqfXnv3euu45sFrUH3uS8p0y4VbuqGTimnpPrzBQ8bhk-LRry6aRyMxBaY5BXYZCYAFeLwIovJKHjlqHi0Tg6-aASOxnBbvhrRJFOkrq03-F47rf4Ulp50EDBiyprKC7udaY0Dozm9vYo1-2acvxapRWzdUlnmhePSt~wBarDDU7EDvF9gsQNgO6rkdJ1qfT9LyAA8qm1dEdG7Ztm0B8VUN8UwLYm58YvEhhRHt9rwwp-60PnQwYZsm4mq4cFTeyoZmQobK331k5H2ZLcSZT~WGBQvGTqPfBtPITb3dq0260HNYy5deSoAMBg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Indianapolis City-County Council Admin & Finance Committee on an evening vote forwarded Proposal 233 — reappointment of Ebony Chapel to the Alcoholic Beverage Board — to the full council with a “do pass” recommendation.

The committee, chaired by Meskere (chair), took testimony from the candidate before moving the item. Ebony Chapel told the committee, “I would like to be on the board. I've learned a lot about how to work, closely with people that, you know, own nightlife spots and other businesses, and making sure that they're safe for the community.”

Councilor Willis moved Proposal 233 to the full council with a do-pass recommendation; Councilor Derek Cahill seconded. The committee called the voice vote; members responded “aye” and none opposed, and the chair announced the recommendation to the full council.

The committee record shows Chapel has served one full term on the Alcoholic Beverage Board. When asked by a councilor about term length, Chapel replied that she believed the term is “a full calendar year.” No other questions or formal objections were recorded during the committee’s consideration.

The item will next appear on the full City-County Council agenda, where the council will take final action on the reappointment.

Details on any required confirmations or additional materials from the Alcoholic Beverage Board were not specified in the committee record.","The Indianapolis City-County Council Admin & Finance Committee voted to forward Proposal 233 — the reappointment of Ebony Chapel to the Alcoholic Beverage Board — to the full council with a ‘do pass’ recommendation after the candidate described her experience and commitment to public safety.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Office of Audits and Performance seeks to expand audit coverage, sustain training and publish employee survey

ISA presents 2026 budget, new chargeback model and cybersecurity priorities

Corporation Counsel outlines 2026 budget, opioid funds and active litigation; explains tort-claim process

OMWBD outlines 2026 budget, rollout of disparity study and software switch to streamline vendor certification

Admin & Finance committee recommends reappointment of Ebony Chapel to Alcohol and Beverage Board