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Board directs external forensic audit of county contracts after heated debate
Summary
The Orange County Board of Supervisors voted 3–1 on Dec. 3 to hire an independent external firm to conduct a forensic audit of contracts dated Jan. 2019–Aug. 2024, initially focusing on contracts within the CEO office, Health Care Agency, OC Community Resources and Social Services Agency. The vote follows weeks of public concern over pandemic‑era spending.
The Orange County Board of Supervisors voted 3–1 on Dec. 3 to direct the county’s internal audit department to solicit and hire an independent external audit firm to perform a forensic review of contracts established between January 2019 and August 2024. The board amended the motion on the floor to make the CEO office, Health Care Agency (HCA), OC Community Resources (OCCR) and the Social Services Agency (SSA) the first priority group.
Supervisor Vicente Sarmiento, who moved the item, said the goal is to ‘‘get an external, credible look’’ at a window of time that includes pandemic relief spending and other high‑risk funds. He told colleagues that a thorough external review could identify gaps in oversight and produce recommendations to strengthen county procurement and whistleblower…
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