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State Auditor's regional manager outlines audit services, offers county audits
Summary
Andrew Stifle, Charlotte regional field manager for the North Carolina Office of the State Auditor, described the office's audit divisions, recent review work and rapid-response option, and told commissioners how counties can request audits or rapid reviews without a direct cost to the county.
Andrew Stifle, the Charlotte regional field manager for the North Carolina Office of the State Auditor, gave the Cabarrus County Board an overview of his office's work and how local governments can request reviews.
Stifle said the auditor's office has six audit divisions — financial, investigative, performance, rapid response, DAVE (Division of Accountability, Value and Efficiency) and information systems — and described the different purposes of each. He said the investigative team forwards suspected fraud to SBI or other authorities when appropriate, while the performance and rapid-response teams focus on efficiency and faster turnaround reports, respectively. "A typical audit can take anywhere from 6 to 18 months. What our rapid response team does is 2 to 4 months," Stifle said.
Stifle cited recent work including a comprehensive DMV performance audit and a rapid-response review of Charlotte Area Transit, and said a lottery audit showing growing revenue but reduced school funding would be released soon. He said the auditor's office posts all reports as PDFs on ncauditor.gov and that each report includes a snapshot of findings and the audit's cost on the final page.
During questions, commissioners asked how a county initiates an audit. Stifle said the office reviews tips and requests; if staff determine a tip is substantial they refer it to the appropriate audit division, noting that the auditor or division heads must approve formal audits. He added that the office is funded by the General Assembly and therefore counties are not charged for state auditor reviews.
Why it matters: The presentation clarified the scope and timing of state-level audits and the avenues local officials can use to request oversight or confirm practices in county government and local partners.
Next steps: Stifle left contact information with Vice Chair Patrick for county staff and commissioners to pursue follow-up requests or to provide tips for investigation.
