County treasurer outlines $16 billion portfolio, explains audit limits and fraud‑prevention tools
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Summary
San Bernardino County Auditor‑Controller‑Treasurer Ensign Mason briefed the county board on treasury operations, a new treasury portal and fraud‑warning tools, and clarified that his office cannot unilaterally audit the county board of education; board members pressed for greater transparency around payment‑processing audits.
San Bernardino County Auditor‑Controller‑Treasurer Ensign Mason told the county board that his office manages a roughly $16 billion investment portfolio that includes about half of the funds deposited by schools and school districts and yields interest that the county uses to support county services.
Mason described new public tools on the office website — including a treasury portal that lets school districts notify the treasury of large cash movements, an interactive “where do my property tax dollars go?” feature, and an early fraud‑warning form developed with Wells Fargo — and said those features are designed to increase transparency and reduce the risk of vendor‑payment scams.
“We put everything out there that can possibly be put out there that the law allows me to put out there,” Mason said, noting the office posts portfolio holdings, performance reports and Fitch rating reports online. He added the treasury team has achieved high yields while maintaining a triple‑A credit rating and said stronger internal controls and a treasury oversight committee provide checks on investment decisions.
Board members asked for clarification about audit authority and recent findings. Mason said his internal audit division conducts dozens of internal audits yearly and posts reports online, but his office’s audit powers are limited by governance structures: he said the auditor’s office can audit departments under the county’s Board of Supervisors but cannot compel an audit of the county board of education itself.
“I can audit any department that’s under our Board of Supervisors,” Mason said in response to a question during the Q&A. “You are your own governing board. I don't have the authority to audit you.” He emphasized his office is available to provide technical assistance and to share audit findings when appropriate.
Members pressed Mason on how often auditors should rotate and how the county and education office coordinate. Mason said rotating auditors every five to seven years is a best practice to avoid overfamiliarity, and he described a collaborative relationship between the county audit team and the county schools’ District Financial Services (DFS) department when audits touch school finance functions.
On specific audit records, Mason pointed board members to a recent DFS payment‑processing audit that contained four findings (for example, controls over authorized signature listings) and said his office posts audit reports to its website and to regular distribution lists that include the grand jury and the chief executive’s office.
The presentation concluded with a broad offer of help. “If there’s something you think that we could help with or questions we could answer, I would be happy to find the right resources,” Mason said.
What happens next: Board members requested that relevant audit reports and DFS findings be circulated to the board for review; Mason said the reports are posted online and offered to distribute future audits to board members who request them.
