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County auditor raises alarm over proposed transfer of accounts payable functions and Oracle Fusion gaps
Summary
County Auditor Timothy Hicks told the commissioners he was not consulted about a plan to move accounts‑payable work away from the Auditor’s Office and urged transparency; he also described operational difficulties with Oracle Fusion and hundreds of projects tracked outside the county system.
Dallas County Auditor Timothy Hicks addressed the Commissioners Court April 15 to raise concerns about proposed administrative changes and information‑technology processes affecting the auditor’s office.
Hicks told the court he first learned about plans to strip two “key functions” from the auditor’s office at a special committee meeting and that the auditor’s office has not been included in substantive conversations since. The auditor emphasized the statutory role of his office in examining and approving county claims and invoices, citing state statutory obligations that require the auditor to separately examine claims before county payment.
“There has not been one conversation in those groups because I don't have any answers for those individuals,” Hicks said, describing a lack of notice to his office about operational changes. He also described practical problems with the county's Oracle Fusion implementation and the need to process roughly 300 projects on spreadsheets because he could not access or import data in the county’s financial system: staff are “having to do… on spreadsheets,” Hicks said, describing an administrative burden and a risk to internal controls.
Hicks asked for better coordination and professional courtesy, and he said the auditor’s office needs time and a plan before any functions are moved. He also asked for answers to whether accounts‑payable responsibilities — historically part of the auditor’s duties in Texas counties — would be removed without a statutory or documented alternative control mechanism.
Ending: Hicks requested more transparency and a formal plan before any transfer of functions; commissioners requested staff follow up with the auditor and agreed to circulate documentation and discuss the issue at a future committee meeting.
No vote was taken; Hicks's remarks were a public comment to request engagement and information.
