Finance committee defers vote on independent CIP monitor to refine scope, add engineering expertise

The DeKalb County Finance, Audit and Budget Committee on an underspecified May meeting date voted to defer action for two weeks on a resolution (item 0240) that would fund an independent monitor to review the county's capital improvement program and related contracts.

The resolution, introduced by Commissioner Maria Davis Johnson as a proposal to establish and fund an independent CIP monitor, was revised during committee discussion to swap the original term "auditor" for "monitor." Committee members and the county's Office of Independent Internal Audit warned that the two roles carry distinct authorities, legal constraints and standards.

At the meeting, Director Campbell of the Office of Independent Internal Audit said, "a monitor is more non audit services" and warned that leftover wording in the draft resolution still referenced audit authorities, such as subpoena powers and employee-style appointments, that would not apply if the county hires a contractor to provide monitoring services. He recommended the resolution and contract language be edited to reflect a vendor relationship rather than an employee or audit role.

Commissioner Michelle Long Spears said the item's budgetary impact had shifted from an earlier $800,000-per-year estimate to a substantially smaller number under the monitoring model and asked whether the Office of Independent Internal Audit (OIIA) could perform the work if given additional staff. Campbell said OIIA could perform financial monitoring with added personnel but would lack in-house engineering expertise for technical reviews; he said independent engineering assessments would likely require outside specialists.

Committee members pressed for clear contract language obligating CIP vendors to cooperate with the monitor. Director Campbell and the law department noted that the county's organizational act and its contract clauses already require a right-to-audit clause in county contracts, and suggested that future CIP contracts explicitly reference the monitor position so vendors would be contractually required to provide requested materials.

After discussion of the redlined draft resolution and attachment A (scope of services), Commissioner Michelle Long Spears moved to defer the item for two weeks to incorporate Campbell's recommended wording changes and to add explicit engineering qualifications to the scope. The motion was seconded and carried by voice/hand vote; Chair Ted Terry voted aye.

The committee directed the law department to work with staff and the independent audit office to revise the draft so it distinguishes monitoring from auditing, removes references to audit-only subpoena authority where inappropriate, and clarifies that the monitor will be procured as a contract vendor (with any necessary subcontracted engineering expertise).

The item will return to the Finance, Audit and Budget Committee with the updated redlined resolution and a clarified Attachment A that spells out technical/engineering experience requirements and procurement timing.