Internal audit reports 22 projects for fiscal year; several audits carried forward

The City of El Paso internal audit office reported its fiscal year 2024–25 fourth-quarter activity to the Financial Oversight and Audit Committee on Oct. 9, saying it completed 15 audits, had seven audits in progress and carried several items into the new fiscal year.

Miguel Montillo of Internal Audit said the office tracked activity from June 1 through Aug. 31, 2025, and that the 22 audits for the year represented about 75% of the office’s goal; five projects remained in progress. He told the committee the office also received 10 employee hotline calls in the fourth quarter and reviewed 29 tax-office refund cases before they came to council.

Committee members pressed for timing and reasons for carryovers. Montillo and committee members explained causes including staffing turnover, late starts on audits that began in August and information delays from third parties and departments. One canceled audit — a review of verifying vacation and sick-leave hours — was stopped after auditors concluded the objective could not be verified reliably. The planned review of city P‑card and travel practices for the City Manager’s Office will be performed by a third‑party consultant to avoid a conflict of interest with internal audit rather than by the audit office itself.

Montillo said cybersecurity work for the police department relied on an external auditor and had been delayed while auditors obtained system documentation from IT and police; he expected a draft by the end of the month. He also said the El Paso Zoo financial activity audit recently completed its exit meeting and was at the tail end of the reporting process. Members flagged franchise‑fee and utility meter concerns that require coordination with Streets and Maintenance and other departments before auditors proceed.

The update was presented for information and required no FOAC action.