Oversight committee seeks outside audit of County Square redevelopment, adds Finance Department to review

The Greenville County Oversight Committee voted to launch an outside inquiry into the County Square redevelopment project, seeking a "full and complete accounting" of contracts, disbursements and bond payments so the public can understand "the dollars in and dollars out."

"The purpose of this motion is to begin a full and complete accounting of the County Square redevelopment project in a format that the general public can review and understand," Steve said as he read the motion requesting itemized checks, complete contracts and bond-payment records.

Committee members approved the motion by voice vote. Later in the meeting the committee reconsidered and amended the motion to name the Finance Department as the specific department to provide records and to anchor the audit work. "I motion to amend my motion...to add the term, finance department as the selected department," Steve said; the amendment passed by voice vote.

Members discussed whether staff could supply some of the requested data directly from the county financial system, but Chairwoman Long stressed the value of a third-party audit: "The purpose of an audit, is to have a third party do this apart from us and apart from the staff," she said. Other committee members and staff said much of the raw revenue-and-expense data is kept in county systems and could inform the request for proposals (RFP) that will define the audit scope.

The county attorney cautioned about public-notice requirements under FOIA and the county procurement ordinance, saying some financial-audit work would require formal procurement and appropriate agenda notice. "To comply with FOIA, we're going to need to stay within the agenda on these," the county attorney said, adding that whether an independent financial audit had been properly noticed could affect the process.

The committee asked staff to assist in drafting RFP particulars so the board can specify what the independent reviewer will examine and then report the committee's recommendation to the full county council for a final vote.

What—s next: the committee will work with administration and procurement staff to develop an RFP that lists the particulars (checks, contracts, bond account details) and to identify a third-party auditor; the committee will report the recommended audit to the full council for consideration.