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Stafford council debates performance/efficiency audit as members cite budget shortfalls
Summary
Councilmembers and residents debated commissioning a performance and efficiency audit; some urged a forensic audit to trace expenditures after members said the city faces a multi-million-dollar shortfall. A motion was made to have staff identify firms and return with options.
A group of council members and residents pushed for a city performance and efficiency review, in some cases calling for a forensic audit, while others questioned spending on outside consultants when staffing and obvious operational gaps already suggest areas for improvement.
Councilmember Bostic moved to have staff — starting with the human resources director and Director Garcia — research firms (for example, Piper Sandler, Ernst & Young, Deloitte) that could perform a performance and efficiency review and report alternatives back to council. The motion was seconded and the council directed staff to gather options for a future report.
Public commenters and some council members framed the debate around the city’s current fiscal position. One speaker said, "as of Friday, we now have a $2,900,000 deficit," and another council member said the city’s shortfall figures equated to roughly $2,590,000 negative plus one-time capital requests, producing a combined $5,000,000 gap as presented in public remarks. The city’s CFO, Alka, and other council members urged separating legitimate calls for financial forensics from the narrower performance-and-efficiency question.
Those who argued for a deeper audit said a forensic review would reveal where every dollar has gone and provide a clearer basis for next year’s budget. Opponents said an operational review will likely find the same problem — understaffing — and that outside consultants might end up confirming what staff and council already suspect.
Why it matters: Council faces competing priorities — limited staff capacity, questions about budget transparency, and public pressure for stronger oversight. Council directed staff to identify audit firms and return with a recommended scope and cost estimates so council can decide whether to commission a performance review or pursue a broader forensic audit.
What’s next: Director Garcia and the HR director were asked to collect information about potential firms and scopes and report back to council; councilmembers asked that staff return competitive options and contract models for possible procurement.
