The Multnomah County Charter assigns responsibilities to the Auditor in sections 3.15, 4.30, and 8.10.
County Charter
3.15. Apportionment Of Commissioner Districts.
Not later than August 1 in the year of the official release of each federal decennial census for Multnomah County, the auditor shall determine the population distribution among the commissioner districts specified by this charter. If the population of any commissioner district is more than 103 percent of the population of any other commissioner district, the auditor, in consultation with the Multnomah County elections division, shall prepare and present to the board of county commissioners not later than August 1, a plan for modifying the boundaries of the districts so that the population of no commissioner district will be more than 102 percent of the population of any other commissioner district, notwithstanding the delineation of commissioner districts by this charter. The board of county commissioners shall, within 45 days of the submission of the report, alter the boundaries of the commissioner districts as necessary by ordinance to provide for an approximately equal population distribution. Change in boundaries of the districts shall not affect taking of office of a commissioner-elect with respect to the term of office for which elected prior to the adoption of the reapportionment. The auditor shall, as nearly as possible, retain the general geographic characteristics of districts established by this charter.
[Amendment proposed by Ord. 170 §4 (1978), adopted by people Nov. 7, 1978; amendment proposed by Ord. 427 §2 (1984) (ballot measure 11), adopted by people Nov. 6, 1984; amendment (ballot measure 26-79) adopted by people Nov. 3, 1998]
4.30. Compensation Of The Chair, Commissioners, Sheriff and District Attorney.
The auditor shall appoint a five-member salary commission, composed of qualified human resource professionals with compensation experience, by January 1 of each even year. The salary commission shall set the salaries for the chair of the board of county commissioners, county commissioners, sheriff and the county paid supplemental salary of the district attorney, documenting the basis of its decisions. All elected or appointed Multnomah County officials and employees are prohibited from serving on the salary commission.
[Amendment proposed by initiative petition filed Oct. 8, 1981, adopted by people May 18, 1982, reaffirmed Sept. 21, 1982; amendment proposed by Ord. 427 §2 (1984) (ballot measure 13), adopted by people Nov. 6, 1984; amendment proposed by Ord. 521 §1 (1986), adopted by people Nov. 4, 1986; amendment proposed by Ord. 603 §1 (1988), adopted by people March 28, 1989; amendment proposed by Ord. 659 §2 (1990) (measure 4), adopted by people Nov. 6, 1990); amendment (ballot measure 26-76) adopted by people Nov. 3, 1998; amendment (ballot measure 26-58) adopted by people Nov. 2, 2004; amendment (ballot measure 26-111) adopted by people Nov. 2, 2010]
8.10. Auditor.
(1) The office of county auditor is hereby established.
(2) At the general November election in 1966 and at the general November election every four years thereafter an auditor shall be elected. A candidate for auditor shall be a certified public accountant or certified internal auditor as of the date of filing for office, subject to the following provision. The office of auditor shall become vacant when the person serving as auditor ceases to be certified. Effective upon certification, the salary for the auditor shall be four-fifths of a circuit court judge's salary.
(3) The auditor shall conduct performance audits of all county operations and financial affairs and make reports thereof to the board of county commissioners according to generally accepted government auditing standards. The auditor may also conduct studies intended to measure or improve the performance of county efforts.
(a) The auditor shall be provided unrestricted, timely access to county employees, information and records required to perform duties of the auditor. The county and the auditor shall determine how to provide and manage confidential or limited-access records or property consistent with any legal obligations.
(b) All contracts with outside contractors and subcontractors shall contain a “right-to-audit” clause and provide for auditor access to the contractor’s employees and to all financial and performance related records, property, and equipment purchased in whole or in part with county funds.
(4) The ombudsperson function is established within the office of auditor.
(a) Under the auditor’s direction, the ombudsperson is readily available to the public as an impartial resource authorized to receive and investigate complaints and make related reports about administrative actions of the county with the goal of safeguarding the rights of the public and promoting high standards of fairness, competency, efficiency and justice in the provision of county services.
(b) The ombudsperson shall not investigate the acts of an elected official or the official’s personal staff, matters currently in litigation, matters subject to collective bargaining agreement grievance procedures, violations of county personnel rules, or discrimination complaints from an employee or applicant for employment.
(c) The ombudsperson shall be guided by generally accepted standards for governmental ombudsmen serving the public.
(5) The chair of the board of commissioners or the responsible elected official shall respond in writing to all audit and ombudsperson reports stating what actions have been or will be taken to address the findings contained in the audit or ombudsperson report. The written response shall be made to the board and the auditor in the manner and time frame requested by the auditor.
(6) The board shall retain each report of the auditor and each response as a public record for at least three years after receiving the report and response.
[Amendment proposed by Ord. 427 §2 (1984) (ballot measure 21), adopted by people Nov. 6, 1984; amendment proposed by Ord. 603 §1 (1988), adopted by people March 28, 1989; amendment (ballot measures 26-76 and 26-84) adopted by people Nov. 3, 1998; amendment (ballot measures 26-234 and 26-235) adopted by people Nov. 8, 2022]