An independent auditor is digging into the county’s contracting processes amid the criminal misappropriation debacle involving a former county contractor.
Chief Administrative Officer Ebony Shelton announced Monday that the county has retained an outside auditor to “conduct a targeted review of contracting processes.”
After questions from Voice of San Diego, county spokesperson Tammy Glenn said the county will pay certified public accounting and advisory firm Eide Bailey $68,000 for the review.
In a Monday announcement, the county said the firm is expected to deliver a report that includes findings and recommendations by the end of May. County officials said the county is committed to “transparency and constant improvement to ensure confidence about how public funds are managed.”
Yet Glenn could not immediately confirm whether the report will be released publicly.
“The Board of Supervisors has made clear that they want a full understanding of what occurred and how we can strengthen our oversight,” Shelton wrote in a statement. “We take stewardship of public funds seriously, and we want to understand where the checks and balances may have broken down and what improvements may be needed.”
The announcement follows criminal charges for the former COO of ex-county contractor Harm Reduction of San Diego, who is accused of spending at least $210,000 in public funds on everything from plastic surgeries to family vacations. It also follows an internal county review that spotlighted the need for stronger county contract oversight and red flags with a former contractor now embroiled in scandal.