It's been just a bit over a year since I started this job as Berkeley City Auditor. It’s been an incredible year of learning and I’m thankful to have this opportunity to serve this community. My goals have been to promote transparency, clear the backlog of outstanding audit recommendations, initiate audits on issues that Berkeley voters care about, and increase community engagement in the audit process. We have more to do, but I’m proud of the work my staff have accomplished so far in these areas.
When I took office last December, there were over a hundred recommendations from previous audits that had not been implemented. Over the course of the year, my staff and I have worked collaboratively with City staff to address 53 of them, including one recommendation that
saved the City $1.3 million
.
All City workers should feel safe in reporting domestic violence to help them stay safe at work. Our domestic violence audit found that while Berkeley has a
policy to support employees experience domestic violence
, it didn't include all state requirements. The City agreed to make changes
to bring Berkeley into compliance,
but did not agree with one of our recommendation
s.
Daily Cal coverage:
City audit finds local domestic violence policies do not meet CA state requirements
Our prior audit found that the City was not following up on
ambulance
billing, some of which could have been recouped from insurance companies. We worked with staff to institute a new follow up plan to recoup revenues while ensuring those who can't afford bills are exempted.
We developed an
audit plan
for 2020. Audits and reports on deck include: street paving, fleet replacement, libraries, homelessness, recycling, and an overall fiscal condition analysis, which I intend to do on a regular basis.
The City Auditor also has a payroll audit function. I worked with my team and across departments to understand and troubleshoot the development and rollout of a new payroll system for the City. This project, led by the City Manager, is still under development.
To increase community engagement, I've gone to dozens of group meetings, given presentations, and attended community events like Juneteenth, Solano Stroll, and the City open house. I've surveyed Berkeley residents and talked with a wide cross section of our community.
Looking back, this year I've learned a lot. It's been a great experience and an honor to serve the people of Berkeley. I’m lucky to work with some great people who understand our values of independence, integrity, inclusion, and impact. We've made some big strides, and I'm excited for what we can accomplish together in the coming year.
Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!
- Jenny
Promoting transparency and accountability in Berkeley government.
