Committee flags recurring training needs and contract-management gaps in department risk assessments

Presenters told the Audit Committee that a recurring theme across department risk assessments is a need for ongoing financial trainings so staff can interpret budget-to-actual reports and use the Munis financial system more effectively. The presenter proposed short, quarterly trainings (roughly 30 minutes) so more staff would attend.

The internal reviewer also flagged contract-management weaknesses: many departments track contract expirations on individual spreadsheets, creating risk when staff leave; the recommendation was to store expiration dates in the county's central contract repository so purchasing can proactively flag upcoming expirations. "We have a central repository for contracts. There's no reason why we can't put the expiration date of that contract in the central repository so that purchasing can run a list," the agency official said.

Additional common findings included refresher training on policies and procedures, better front-line employee awareness of reporting options, and targeted support for newly hired directors (for example, at Animal Care and the Recorder's office). Committee members asked staff to coordinate with HR and AO meetings to schedule trainings and to follow up with the assessor about unclear references to 'open accounts.'