(a) The board shall arrange for a post audit of the financial transactions and records of the consolidated agency to be made at least annually by a certified public accountant.
(b) (1) The audit committee shall appoint an independent performance auditor, subject to approval by the board, who may only be removed for cause by a vote of at least two-thirds of the audit committee and the board.
(2) The independent performance auditor shall have authority to conduct or to cause to be conducted performance audits of all departments, offices, boards, activities, agencies, and programs of the consolidated agency. The auditor shall prepare annually an audit plan and conduct audits in accordance therewith and perform those other duties as may be required by ordinance or as provided by the California Constitution and general laws of the state. The auditor shall follow government auditing standards. All officers and employees of the consolidated agency shall furnish to the auditor unrestricted access to employees, information, and records, including electronic data, within their custody regarding powers, duties, activities, organization, property, financial transactions, contracts, and methods of business required to conduct an audit or otherwise perform audit duties. It is also the duty of any consolidated agency officer, employee, or agent to fully cooperate with the auditor, and to make full disclosure of all pertinent information.
(3) The auditor shall have the power to appoint, employ, and remove assistants, employees, and personnel as deemed necessary for the efficient and effective administration of the affairs of the office and to prescribe their duties, scope of authority, and qualifications.
(4) The auditor may investigate any material claim of financial fraud, waste, or impropriety within the consolidated agency and for that purpose may summon any officer, agent, or employee of the consolidated agency, any claimant, or other person, and examine him or her upon oath or affirmation relative thereto. All consolidated agency contracts with consultants, vendors, or agencies will be prepared with an adequate audit provision to allow the auditor access to the entity’s records needed to verify compliance with the terms specified in the contract. Results of all audits and reports shall be made available to the public in accordance with the requirements of the California Public Records Act (Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 6250) of Division 7 of Title 1 of the Government Code).
(c) The board shall develop and adopt internal control guidelines to prevent and detect financial errors and fraud based on the internal control guidelines developed by the Controller pursuant to Section 12422.5 of the Government Code and the standards adopted by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.
(d) The board shall develop and adopt an administration policy that includes a process to conduct staff performance evaluations on a regular basis to determine if the knowledge, skills, and abilities of staff members are sufficient to perform their respective functions, and shall monitor the evaluation process on a regular basis.
(e) The board members shall make an annual report to their member agencies at a public meeting pursuant to Chapter 9 (commencing with Section 54950) of Part 1 of Division 2 of Title 5 of the Government Code, that includes a summary of activities by the consolidated agency including, but not limited to, program developments, project updates, changes to voter-approved expenditure plans, and potential ballot measures.
(Amended by Stats. 2018, Ch. 92, Sec. 182. (SB 1289) Effective January 1, 2019.)