OAG reports rising share of reportable inquiries, schedules peer review and training

The Fairfax County Office of the Auditor General told the Audit Committee Nov. 17 that it has added a "reportable" indicator to internal inquiry reporting to highlight matters with credibility concerns, potential fraud/waste/abuse or issues involving leadership.

General Koh explained the new column and said the reportable share of inquiries has risen from about 4% in fiscal year 2022 to roughly 14% in fiscal year 2026 (ongoing). He said the number of cases received this fiscal year is 28 and described the rise as a function of outreach, education and increased reporting rather than a single systemic failure.

Danielle Moore said the audit office is in a risk assessment phase for FY27 topics, conducting interviews, benchmarking and surveys, and that OAG will present its annual report at the Jan. 5 meeting. Moore also noted upcoming trainings for staff and a peer review of OAG scheduled for Jan. 26–30.

Committee members asked whether an increase in contacts indicates greater trust in the office or a worsening control environment. Koh said the metric is one piece of a broader, holistic assessment and cautioned that OAG cannot disclose privileged or confidential details about individual inquiries but will continue transparency about trends and follow‑up where appropriate.

No formal committee action was taken on the inquiry report; committee members asked for clarification on categories (including "use of assets") and for future reports that break findings down by school level and by whether finance staff were new to their roles.