Drafter
Clerk 07/14/2009
Title
A MOTION requesting the executive to act upon the Washington State Auditor's Office Accountability Audit Report by developing a comprehensive plan for improved business practices and internal controls in King County, and report the plan to the council by August 28, 2009.
Body
WHEREAS, the King County council values an open and transparent government for its citizens, and
WHEREAS, the King County council has consistently exercised its powers under the county charter as the policy determining body of the county to promote oversight and accountability, and
WHEREAS, the King County council ensures that county dollars are being wisely spent by adopting provisos that make appropriations contingent on performance indicators, by requiring audits of important programs in the auditor's annual work program and assigning special studies to the auditor's office, by having representatives on review panels, by receiving quarterly and annual reports on public health and other programs and by crafting motions and ordinances that foster visibility and accountability in the King County Code, and
WHEREAS, King County is ahead of other jurisdictions in instituted policies regarding performance management, oversight and accountability, and
WHEREAS, as early as 1997, the council increased its oversight of capital projects and insisted that capital projects be managed within scope, schedule and budget, and
WHEREAS, in 2007, the council passed Ordinance 15652, which created a new function in the auditor's office by funding a pilot program for capital projects oversight with the mission of controlling cost overruns and unforeseen expansion of project scopes, schedules and budgets on King County's large capital construction projects, and
WHEREAS, legislative review and oversight of information technology projects, including the law safety justice integration project, information technology permit integration project, and the emergency radio system project identified over four million dollars in technology budget cuts, and
WHEREAS, the council passed Ordinance 16202 in 2008 relating to creating a countywide performance and accountability system, known as the performance and accountability act, which established a comprehensive countywide performance management and reporting system that is intended to enhance transparency through measuring and delivering services based on community priorities;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT MOVED by the Council of King County:
The council has demonstrated a history of strong oversight of county programs and services with an eye to improving performance, accountability and transparency, as illustrated by examples of council oversight included in Attachment A to this motion. As part of continuing to improve accountability and performance and meet its charter-based legislative oversight authority, the council requests that the executive act upon the State Audit Performance and Accountability Audit issued June 22, 2009, by developing a comprehensive action plan with deliverables and timelines for improving business practices and internal controls in King County for issues identified in the audit, and report the plan to the council by August 28, 2009. Eleven copies of the report shall be filed with the clerk of the council, for distribution to all councilmembers.