Commissioners debate scope and cost of proposed operational audit, opt for phased approach
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Summary
Commissioners revisited a previously discussed operational audit, heard that past quotes were near $50,000, and asked finance staff to seek quotes for a phased, department-first approach (public works suggested) rather than an expensive county-wide audit. No formal action was taken; topic was held for further study.
Geary County commissioners reopened a long-running discussion about commissioning an outside operational audit to identify efficiencies across large departments.
Speaker comments recalled an earlier decision to contract parts of the study to Justice Planners (the jail study) and noted that full-county quotes had previously been in the ballpark of $50,000. Finance director Tammy Robinson said a phased approach — starting with a single department such as Public Works or reviewing fleet/leasing practices — could reduce cost and let the county evaluate implementable recommendations before expanding scope. "If we're not seeing those carryovers as we move forward, those department heads have taken into account the personnel side of it," Robinson said, suggesting internal review first could be useful.
Commissioners discussed options including: (1) requesting informal quotes for a single-department audit; (2) using CIP or consulting-service budgets to cover costs if the price is large; and (3) asking department heads for internal efficiency reports as a first step. One commissioner asked staff to obtain updated quotes and to draft a scope if the board wants a formal RFP.
No motion was made to fund a county-wide audit at this meeting; the board placed the item on the list for future consideration and asked staff to gather updated cost estimates and scoped options.
Next steps: Finance staff to solicit quotes for a limited-scope audit (public works suggested) and return with cost estimates and a recommended scope for commissioner review.