City of Gresham
Measure No. 26-66
BALLOT TITLE
ADDITION OF CITY AUDITOR POSITION TO CITY CHARTER
QUESTION: Shall a City Auditor position that reports directly to the city council be added to the City Charter?
SUMMARY: This measure was recommended by the Charter Review Committee and amends the charter to create the position of City Auditor. Like the city manager and city attorney, the auditor would report directly to the city council. This reporting relationship is designed to ensure independence of the auditor functions. The position is geared towards management, performance, and efficiency audits. It is not a substitute for the formal government finance audits that are required annually by Oregon law and completed by outside accounting and auditing firms. The measure would take effect January 1, 2005.
EXPLANATORY STATEMENT
The current Gresham City Charter was adopted May 2, 1978. It was last revised by the voters on November 3, 1998. Pursuant to the terms of the charter, the city council convened a Charter Review Committee comprised of local citizens to complete a periodic review of the charter and address a variety of issues and concerns that had been raised regarding the document. On January 20, 2004, the 2003 Charter Review Committee recommended to council that the city charter be amended to create the position of City Auditor. On August 3, 2004, council approved sending this measure to the voters at the November 2004 election.
This new city auditor position would report directly to the Mayor and Council. Only two other positions in the city organization currently report directly to council -- the city manager and the city attorney. The Charter Review Committee felt a direct reporting relationship to the city council was important to ensure independence of the auditor functions. The position is geared towards management, performance, and efficiency audits, but may also perform financial audits of city programs and funds as necessary. Creation of this position and the office of city auditor is not intended to be a substitute for the annual audit of the city’s financial statements and major funds required by Oregon law and performed by outside accounting firms in accordance with Government Auditing Standards issued by the Comptroller General of the United States.
If approved by the voters, the Measure would be effective January 1, 2005.
Submitted by:
Debbie Jermann,
Gresham City Clerk
No arguments FOR or AGAINST this measure were filed