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Audit commission forms two-member ad hoc panel to review audit proposals
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Summary
Tustin City’s Audit Commission voted 5-0 on April 9 to create a two-member ad hoc subcommittee to evaluate eight proposals submitted in response to the city’s audit-services RFP; staff said evaluations will be completed in time to recommend a firm to City Council in May.
The Tustin City Audit Commission voted unanimously on April 9 to create a two-member ad hoc subcommittee to evaluate proposals for the city’s next audit services contract.
Staff briefed the commission that the city issued a request for proposal for audit services in February, closed the solicitation in March and received eight proposals. Jennifer, the staff presenter, said the commission has traditionally participated in choosing audit firms and outlined two options for evaluation: the full commission could review proposals in public meetings, or an appointed two-member ad hoc committee could handle initial review and interviews and then report back at an open meeting for full-commission deliberation.
"We received a total of 8 proposals," Jennifer said, and described a proposed schedule: complete proposal evaluations by the coming Wednesday, return to the commission the following Thursday for consideration, forward a recommendation to City Council at its first May meeting, and complete contract execution by June so preliminary audit work can begin. The staff presentation noted the last time the commission evaluated proposals as a full body was May 2021, when finalists were interviewed in public and a recommendation was made to the council.
During discussion, commissioners expressed practical reasons for the ad hoc approach, saying it is easier to assemble two members than the full five and that an ad hoc panel can interview finalists and bring findings back to the commission. One commissioner also raised equity concerns with conducting all interviews in an open session, noting later firms could gain an advantage by observing earlier interviews; the commission discussed publicly deliberating once the ad hoc committee reported its findings.
The commission held a voice vote on forming the subcommittee; the motion passed 5-0. The commission then appointed two members to serve on the subcommittee; the record shows Commissioner John Huente was among the appointees and the vote to appoint the pair passed 5-0. Staff said the ad hoc panel’s findings will be presented at the commission’s next regular meeting, scheduled for April 23, 2026, with a recommendation to go to City Council in May.
The commission did not take any final selection action at the April 9 meeting; it formed the subcommittee to carry out the evaluation and interview work and directed staff to return with the panel’s report for public deliberation and a recommendation to council.
