A sweeping state audit of Mendocino County practices, including finance, contracts and procurements, and elections, will be conducted over the next 18 months after legislative approval of a bill that now only needs the governor's signature.
The state legislation caps a turbulent period in Mendocino County, including the criminal indictment of the suspended elected county Auditor, the local Board of Supervisors’ declaration of a “fiscal crisis” because of delays in financial reporting, and other politically laced issues.
The state Controller’s Office said Thursday it expects to release findings next week from its narrow review of the county’s Auditor’s Office functions, a probe sought last year by the County Board of Supervisors.
While it is not unusual for the state to audit local governments, McGuire said the situation in Mendocino County has reached a “tipping point.”
“The community deserves answers,” said McGuire, an influential state legislator now Senate President Pro Tem.
McGuire said he secured approval of the special audit because “the status quo doesn’t work – which is why the state is stepping in.”
“With the state performing an independent audit of all county departments and on all accounts, some much-needed daylight will shine through,” said McGuire.
Mo Mulheren, chair of the county Board of Supervisors, said the county has been “undergoing changes of our own as they relate to fiscal accountability and contracting.”
“This audit will highlight our strengths and help us improve where needed, and as with any rural community, we look forward to the opportunity to have the resources and knowledge from the state to assist us with these improvements,” said Mulheren.
Coast Supervisor Ted Williams, who has led board criticism of county financial reporting practices, said Thursday of the special state audit, “This is an appropriate next step.”
Assessor-County Clerk Katrina Bartolomie, who oversees county elections, said Thursday that “no one from the state contacted me” about the special audit. The office experienced two ballot snafus earlier this year. All county residents were sent Republican ballots for the March 5 primary. Then, two weeks before the election, it was discovered that about 50 people had received incorrect information because the 2021 redistricting had not been correctly accounted for in voter files.
Bartolomei blamed the larger ballot error on an out-of-county vendor. She acknowledged her office was responsible for the redistricting error.
State Auditor spokesperson Dana Simas cautioned that state audits are not unusual, citing some ongoing probes of issues in Riverside, Los Angeles, Orange, and Alameda counties.
Elected County Auditor-Controller Chamise Cubbison was suspended last fall by the Board of Supervisors after District Attorney David Eyster filed a felony charge of misuse of public funds against her. Eyster’s controversial move followed a history of conflict with Cubbison and other county auditors over his spending practices. Cubbison is fighting the criminal charge, with a preliminary hearing now scheduled for late July. Cubbison also filed a civil lawsuit against the Board of Supervisors for denying her due process after locking her out of the Auditor’s Office and stripping her of pay and benefits within days of Eyster’s criminal filing.
In a Thursday statement, McGuire said the state audit should help “rebuild trust in the community by providing all sides with the facts and transparency to make sound decisions going forward.”
Mark Scaramella adds: State legislature on-line documents show that the state has allocated $800,000 in state funds to the State Auditor to cover the cost of the audit of Mendocino County.
https://abgt.assembly.ca.gov/system/files/2024-06/june-22-trailer-bill-analyses-packet-draft.pdf
There is no mention of the state turning around and asking Mendocino County for reimbursement of the $800k. But we wouldn’t be surprised if they did, considering that the County asked for the audit and the state is facing a substantial budget deficit.
Senate Bill 164 includes this statement: “By requiring the County of Mendocino to participate in an audit, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.” State-mandated programs are generally paid by, or reimbursed from, the State. I would expect that the $800k was appropriated to cover the Controller’s cost of performing the audit, and the County will not be charged. I hope the BOS will ask the County’s outside auditing firm to assist in interpreting and implementing any recommendations the State may make as a result of their audit.