Although the City of Kimberley, after much debate at Council, sent a request for the Auditor General to audit the City on capital procurement and asset management, Auditor General Basia Ruta has written City CAO Scott Sommerville to inform him that the AG’s office will be unable to do so.
The matter arose at Council last May when Coun. Don McCormick moved that the AG be brought in to look at the costs on the flume rehab project. Staff looked further into potential costs and the matter was eventually okayed by council in June of 2014 and the request to the AG sent out.
In the letter received by Council this week, the AG says that while her goal that a regulation be brought into place allowing a city to request her services, that regulation does not yet exist. She is hoping it may become a regulation in 2015/16. In other words, a city cannot request a visit from the Auditor General.
However, there are tools available for the City to use such as a booklet called Oversight of Capital Project Planning and Procurement which can guide staff through a look at a project.
The AG also said that Kimberley’s request would be considered in future audit planning.