Audit recommends clearer pricing and better permitting coordination for large outdoor events; council asks for committee update on technology solution

The City Auditor presented an audit on city costs tied to large outdoor special events, finding opportunities to increase transparency and improve customer service for event organizers. The office examined permitting and department invoicing for 84 large events in fiscal year 2023–24 and recommended clearer advance cost estimates and a more coordinated billing and permitting process.

Auditor Joe Royce reported city fees and labor billed to event organizers amounted to about $622,000 in FY2023–24, with roughly 51 percent attributable to police staffing (sworn and non‑sworn costs). The audit found cost estimates for security and traffic control were not consistently provided to organizers and that posted hourly rates were incomplete on the city website. The report recommended identifying thresholds for when event cost estimates must be provided, publishing sworn and non‑sworn rates online, and updating guidance to clarify roles for private security and non‑sworn staff.

The audit also found permitting and invoicing could be streamlined: organizers often received separate invoices from multiple departments and, in some cases, for the same service at different times. The report urged exploring a coordinated permitting and invoicing technology solution. Administration representatives said they agreed with the recommendations and have already begun implementation; one recommendation (the technology procurement) was marked a longer lead item with a target completion of June 2027.

Council accepted the audit and Vice Mayor Foley requested that recommendation #4 (the technology solution) be presented to the Community and Economic Development Committee with an update in early 2026. Public commenters called for reducing mandatory sworn‑officer costs for events and for broader transparency.

Actions - kind: other motion: "Accept Audit: 'City Costs for Outdoor Special Events' and direct staff to implement recommendations; refer the technology/permitting coordination recommendation to CED for update in early 2026." mover: "Vice Mayor Foley" second: "Councilmember Kamey" vote_record: [{member:"Vice Mayor Foley",vote:"yes"},{member:"Councilmember Kamey",vote:"yes"}] tally: {yes:10,no:0,abstain:0} outcome: "accepted" notes: "Administration agrees with recommendations; procurement of technology solution targeted for June 2027; referral to CED for early 2026 status update."

Speakers - {"name":"Joe Royce","role_title":"City Auditor","affiliation_type":"government","affiliation_name":"City Auditor's Office","first_reference":{"timecode":"00:24:54","transcript_line_range":[6094,6120]}} - {"name":"Carrie Adams Hapner","role_title":"Director of Cultural Affairs, Office of Economic Development and Cultural Affairs","affiliation_type":"government","affiliation_name":"OEDCA","first_reference":{"timecode":"00:24:58","transcript_line_range":[6346,6384]}} - {"name":"Jordan Moldau","role_title":"Public commenter","affiliation_type":"citizen","affiliation_name":"not specified","first_reference":{"timecode":"00:25:26","transcript_line_range":[6526,6566]}}

Authorities - {"type":"policy","name":"City special events guidelines","citation":"not specified","referenced_by":["special-events-audit"]}

Clarifying_details - {"category":"city_costs_total","detail":"City costs charged to event organizers in FY2023–24","value":622000,"units":"USD","approximate":false,"source_speaker":"Joe Royce"} - {"category":"pd_share","detail":"Share of event costs attributed to Police Department staffing","value":0.51,"units":"fraction","approximate":true,"source_speaker":"Joe Royce"}

proper_names:[{"name":"Office of Economic Development and Cultural Affairs","type":"agency"},{"name":"Community and Economic Development Committee (CED)","type":"agency"}], searchable_tags:["special events","audit","police staffing","permitting"], meeting_context:{"engagement_level":{"speakers_count":8,"duration_minutes":45,"items_count":1},"implementation_risk":"medium","history":[{"date":"2025-06-03","note":"Audit assignment and scope approved earlier"}]}