IN THE COUNTY LEGISLATURE OF JACKSON COUNTY, MISSOURI
Title
A RESOLUTION requesting the Missouri State Auditor to conduct a comprehensive performance audit to examine and evaluate the management of Jackson County’s fiscal, budgetary, and procurement policies and procedures to ensure transparency and accountability to the taxpayers in the expenditure of public funds.
Intro
RESOLUTION NO. 19745, February 26, 2018
INTRODUCED BY Scott Burnett, County Legislator
Body
WHEREAS, the Legislature adopted the County’s 2018 annual budget via a floor amendment to Ordinance 5052 on December 15, 2017; and,
WHEREAS, in the Legislature’s final adopted budget memorandum dated December 15, 2017, attached as Exhibit A, the Legislature raised several concerns regarding the expenditure and transfer of funds budgeted within non-departmental accounts, questionable spending on contracts, and the need for transparency and accountability; and,
WHEREAS, on January 3, 2018, the County Executive recommended that the Legislature request the Missouri State Auditor to conduct a comprehensive audit of the County’s fiscal and procurement processes; and,
WHEREAS, the Legislature is hopeful that an independent audit by the Missouri State Auditor will provide assurance to all County elected officials and the citizens of Jackson County that the assets of the County are safeguarded through proper internal controls that fully comply with applicable State and County laws; and,
WHEREAS, the Legislature recommends the scope of the comprehensive audit include, but not be limited to, determining the existence of:
• Effective oversight of the awarding and administering of legal and professional services contracts and whether any County employee, officer or elected official received a separate, personal benefit from any such contract; and,
• Proper internal controls to ensure best practices of the authority to transfer $9,999 or less from one appropriation account to another without Legislative approval; and,
• Proper fiscal, budgetary, and procurement policies and procedures for internal operations; and,
• Conformity and compliance with existing fiscal, budgetary, and procurement policies and procedures and to ensure that they do not contradict or conflict with the County code or State regulations; and,
• Compliance with governmental best practices in the financial management of fiscal, budgetary, and procurement policies and procedures and identification of areas of improvement as needed;
and,
WHEREAS, the Legislature desires the Missouri State Auditor to conduct the audit in as expeditious a manner as possible and to prepare a written report noting findings, recommendations, and conclusions; now therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED by the County Legislature of Jackson County, Missouri, that the Legislature hereby requests that the Missouri State Auditor conduct a comprehensive audit of the County’s finances in accordance with this Resolution.
Enacted and Approved
Effective Date: This Resolution shall be effective immediately upon its passage by a majority of the Legislature.
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
______________________________ ____________________________
Chief Deputy County Counselor County Counselor
Certificate of Passage
I hereby certify that the attached resolution, Resolution No. 19745 of February 26, 2018, was duly passed on February 26, 2018 by the Jackson County Legislature. The votes thereon were as follows:
Yeas _______8__________ Nays _____0________
Abstaining _____0________ Absent ____0________
Excused _____1_______
______________________ ______________________________
Date Mary Jo Spino, Clerk of Legislature