On The Job: February - April 2016

REVIEW FINDS OIG "EXTRAORDINARILY PRODUCTIVE"

The committee appointed to evaluate reports issued by the Office of Inspector General released its "Report Reviewing Activities for 2014" on April 18. The Committee found the OIG to be "extraordinarily productive."

The ordinance creating the OIG calls for the Mayor, City Council, and Ethics Review Board each to appoint a member to the Quality Assurance Review Advisory Committee. The ordinance directs the three-member Committee to issue annual evaluations of OIG reports. Read More  
REPORT RECOMMENDS IMPROVEMENTS IN CITY LAW DEPARTMENT 

In a report released February 24, the OIG recommended that the City's Law Department should improve its data management processes to benefit efficiency in its operations and its ability to report on
its workload and performance. The OIG also recommended that litigation attorneys track their time and that the Law Department prohibit outside legal employment for prosecutors.
OIG FINDS NEARLY HALF OF PAYMENTS DUE SEWERAGE AND WATER BOARD PAST DUE

An OIG performance audit of the Sewerage and Water Board fee collection internal controls for the period January 1, 2014 through March 31, 2 014 found that 47 percent of the S&WB's $21.8 million accounts receivable balance was over 90 days past due as of December 31, 2013. The delinquent accounts total was $10.3 million.
 
Auditors concluded the S&WB's Customer Account Management system in use since 1987 could not produce detailed aging reports to determine which customers were delinquent and for how long. The system also did not assess late fees on 23 percent of accounts tested that were paid more than four days after the due date.
 
Auditors recommended that the S&WB implement a new billing and collection system, which the S&WB expects to do in the third quarter of 2016.
 
The OIG will return to the S&WB in 2018 to check if the new system corrects the problems uncovered in the audit released March 9.
 
OIG UNVEILS REDESIGNED ANNUAL REPORT

The OIG released its 2015 Annual Report in a new format designed to showcase the achievements of the Office and its impact on improving City government.

In accordance with the City Code requirement, the OIG issued its annual report on March 30. The 2015 Annual Report was titled "Achieving Success - Creating Opportunity."

The report shows that the OIG cost the City $3,452,098 last year and created savings for the City of $8,478,722. In addition, the City's adoption of a 2013 OIG recommendation to hold adjudicated property auctions generated more than $13.2 million in revenue.  
COMMUNITY MEETINGS ENCOURAGE OIG FEEDBACK FROM CITIZENS
 
To spread the word about the OIG's work and receive feedback from the citizens it serves, Inspector General Ed Quatrevaux and members of his team made presentations before five neighborhood associations in March and April. Read More 
AMERICAN GREED TELEVISION SHOW SHINES SPOTLIGHT ON OIG 

The CNBC television program "American Greed" chronicled the crimes that led to the prosecution and conviction of former Mayor C. Ray Nagin and some of his associates in the show's 10th season premiere March 31. The episode titled "Ray Nagin: New Orleans Shakedown" featured interviews with Assistant Inspector General for Investigations Howard Schwartz and Investigator Eduardo Hernandez. Read More
GET TO KNOW US
In this edition of the OIG newsletter, meet David Eberly, Deputy Assistant Inspector General for the Construction Fraud Division based at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport.

The Construction Manager Certification Institute (CMCI) recently awarded Eberly the designation of Certified Construction Manager.
 
Eberly has more than 15 years of experience as a construction manager. He said he pursued the CCM credential with strong encouragement and support from the OIG. Read More 

WHAT WE'RE WORKING ON NEXT

Auditors are preparing reports on the New Orleans Police Department's accuracy of sex crimes reporting to the FBI and follow-ups to the Sewerage and Water Board Sanitation Fee and French Market Corporation Use of Funds reports. Evaluators are working on reports on Pedestrian Walk Signals, Fleet Management, Fuel Dispensing, Municipal Court Funding, and the City's 311 system.
This newsletter was funded in part by a grant from Baptist Community Ministries for the purpose of providing information to the public about the OIG's oversight activities. 

Please contact us with tips that can help the OIG prevent and detect fraud in city government. Reach us online or call (504) 681-3247.