Riviera Beach council moves to hire independent contracted auditor to report to council

The Riviera Beach City Council on Sept. 3 voted to move forward with hiring an independent, contracted auditor who will report directly to the council. The measure passed by roll call with unanimous support.

The action followed repeated calls from residents and members of the city's audit committee for independent oversight. Scott Lewis, an audit-committee member and resident, urged the council to move immediately to procure a contractor and said the city needs independent review of high-dollar projects and operations. "You have got to have an independent internal auditor who is free to audit without constraint," Lewis told the council.

City Attorney Don Wynn provided written guidance earlier in the meeting and told the council that, based on state law, the city charter and city code, the council may contract with an independent auditor who reports directly to the council. City Manager Jonathan Evans and staff recommended the audit committee and procurement staff work together to develop a scope of services and a solicitation. Evans told the council he prefers that the scope development and procurement be handled separately from the manager's own internal-auditor position so the council's contractor remains independent.

Councilperson Bruce Guyton moved the item "to move forward on hiring an independent contractual auditor to report directly to the council," with the scope to be developed at a future meeting; the motion passed on a unanimous roll call vote.

Ending: The council directed the audit committee and procurement staff to draft a scope and procurement documents for council review; the council did not yet approve a specific contract or vendor and will consider the detailed scope at a future meeting.