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King County council holds wide-ranging discussion on DCHS contracting after auditor report; no vote taken
Summary
Councilmembers and department leaders discussed an ordinance to codify contract-management best practices for the Department of Community and Human Services after a county audit flagged weaknesses; the council held the item for a week of amendments and asked the department for follow-up briefings and reforms.
The Metropolitan King County Council on Sept. 16 held a detailed, hour-long discussion of a proposed ordinance that would require the Department of Community and Human Services to adopt and follow strengthened contract-management and compliance-monitoring practices after a recent audit flagged problems.
The proposed ordinance (Ordinance 2025-0266) would require DCHS to document and implement best practices for contract management, perform annual risk assessments of contract agencies and conduct in-person site visits of each contract agency at least once every three years. It also calls for a status briefing to the council by March 31, 2026, on implementation of audit recommendations.
Why it matters: Council members described the audit findings as eroding public trust and said the county must act to ensure taxpayer funds are managed properly while protecting service delivery for vulnerable residents. The department and council members also discussed staffing, training and possible structural changes to reduce future risk.
Councilmember Reagan Dunn, who introduced the ordinance, said the audit shows the county is…
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