[Audit Committee Meeting on March 26, 2024.]
[00:00:02]
IT IS 2:00 PM AND I'M ED MOORE.
I'M THE CHAIR OF THE AUDIT COMMITTEE.
WE'RE CONVENING THE AUDIT COMMITTEE AT THIS TIME WITH, UH, COMMITTEE MEMBERS, BJ WILLIAMS AND CHRIS OTT IN ATTENDANCE.
WE ALSO HAVE WITH US, UH, J JOHNSON, AS WELL AS JUDSON REX, UH, AUDIT DIRECTOR, CITY MANAGER.
AS WE ENTER INTO OUR DISCUSSION, I WANNA START OUT WITH, UM, THE APPROVAL OF OUR MINUTES.
IF YOU'VE HAD OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW THE MINUTES, WE'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION AT THIS POINT TO APPROVE.
WOULD LIKE TO, UH, MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES AS PRESENTED.
WE HAVE A MR. CHAIRMAN, I SECOND MOTION AND A SECOND.
ALL OPPOSED? THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH.
WITH THAT, WE ARE GONNA GO DOWN TO NUMBER TWO, WHICH IS OUR PUBLIC COMMENTS.
DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS? ANYONE? WE HAVE A PRETTY FULL ROOM TODAY TOO.
THAT TELLS ME WE'RE GONNA HAVE A, A GREAT MEETING AND A A LOT OF INFORMATION BEING PRESENTED TO US.
AND SO WITH THAT, UH, LET US GO NOW TO NUMBER THREE ITEMS FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION.
AND WE'LL START OUT WITH NUMBER A, WHICH IS OUR WEAVER PRESENTATION.
I'LL INTRODUCE SARAH AND CLAIRE.
SARAH IS OUR PARTNER, UH, WITH WEAVER, UH, AND CLARITY'S OUR AUDIT MANAGER.
SO THEY'RE GONNA PROVIDE US, UH, A REPORT ON THE FINANCIAL STATEMENT AUDIT THAT THEY CONDUCTED.
WITH THAT, I'M JUST GONNA TURN IT OVER TO THEM.
WOULD YOU INTRODUCE YOURSELF ONE MORE TIME FOR ME, PLEASE? SURE.
I'M THE PARTNER ON THE ENGAGEMENT.
AND THEN, AND THEN MY NAME'S CLAIRE WOODEN.
ALRIGHT, CLAIRE AND SARAH, THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH.
THAT IS NOT WHAT I MEANT TO DO.
IS THIS, UH, IS THAT GOOD? Y'ALL CAN SEE IT.
SO WE'LL START OFF DOING AN INTRODUCTION OF OUR TEAM AND THEN WALK THROUGH THE AUDIT PROCESS, UH, THE AUDIT RESULTS AND THE REQUIRED COMMUNICATIONS, AND THEN OPEN IT UP FOR ANY DISCUSSION.
SO WE'RE GONNA COVER THE 2023 FINANCIAL STATEMENT AUDIT.
UH, WE STARTED THE AUDIT BACK IN SEPTEMBER TO DO, UM, INTERIM.
SO WE'VE DONE INTERIM AND PRESENTED BEFORE YOU, UH, PRIOR TO FIELD WORK.
SO THAT'S WHEN WE CAME AND PRESENTED WHAT OUR AUDIT PLAN WAS.
AND THEN NOW WE'RE HERE WITH THE RESULTS.
SO WE'VE DONE FIELD WORK, WE'VE DONE OUR AUDIT ENGAGEMENT, AND THAT'S WHERE WE ARE TODAY.
I'VE GOT 20 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE, AND ALL OF THAT EXPERIENCE IS WITH STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS.
SO, UM, CLAIRE AND I ARE BOTH IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR GROUP.
I LEAD THE PUBLIC SECTOR TEAM FOR THE FIRM, FIRM.
SO, UM, IT'S A NATIONAL, UM, FIRM-WIDE INDUSTRY GROUP.
SO WE'RE LOOKING AT LOCAL GOVERNMENTS ACROSS THE NATION.
UM, AND GARLAND HAS BEEN A GREAT CLIENT FOR, FOR MANY YEARS OF OURS.
UM, WE EMPHASIZE IN THE AUDITS OF CITIES, SCHOOL DISTRICTS, COUNTIES, UH, AND JUST OTHER TYPES OF, UH, LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, WATER DISTRICTS, RIVER AUTHORITIES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
UM, I'LL LET CLAIRE INTRODUCE HERSELF.
AND I'VE GOT 13 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE, MOSTLY UNDER SARAH AS WELL, AND ANOTHER OF OUR GOVERNMENT PARTNERS AND HAVE BEEN ON THE AUDIT AS LONG AS WE'VE HAD IT HERE AS WELL.
SO THE AUDIT PROCESS IS A RISK-BASED APPROACH.
AND WHAT THAT MEANS IS WE GO THROUGH THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS ONCE THE CITY PROVIDES THEIR FINAL CLOSING BALANCES, AND WE LOOK TO SEE WHAT RISKS ARE OUT THERE, WHAT NEW PRONOUNCEMENTS HAVE COME UP, WHERE COULD THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS BE MATERIALLY MISSTATED.
SO, UM, THAT'S HOW OUR PROCESS BEGINS.
AND THESE ARE SOME OF THE AREAS WHERE WE SAY, OKAY, HERE'S A SIGNIFICANT RISK.
UH, THE ENTERPRISE FUND REVENUE STREAM IS, UH, ONE WHERE MAYBE REVENUES WOULD BE OVERSTATED TO MAKE, UH, THE BOND RATING COME OUT BETTER.
SO WE'RE LOOKING FOR IMPROPER REVENUE RECOGNITION AS AN EXAMPLE FOR, UM, THE ENTERPRISE FUND REVENUE STREAM FOR THE GRANT REVENUE AND EXPENDITURES.
THESE ARE MORE COMPLEX BECAUSE THEY ARE, UM, GUIDED BY THE OMB, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
SO WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR THERE IS THAT THEY'RE BEING ACCOUNTED FOR PROPERLY, THAT THEY ARE BEING USED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE GRANT AGREEMENTS.
AND WE WANT THE REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES TO BE PROPERLY STATED BECAUSE IT WILL BE SUBMITTED TO YOUR FEDERAL AUDIT CLEARINGHOUSE AS WELL.
CAPITAL PROJECTS, THERE'S ALWAYS A LOT OF CAPITAL PROJECTS GOING ON AT THE CITY.
SO THAT'S A HIGH RISK AREA FOR US WHERE THE BID PROCESS IS IMPORTANT, THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE EVALUATING WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT THE CAPITAL PROJECT PROCESS.
UH, AND THE BOND PROGRAMS ASSOCIATED WITH THOSE UNRECORDED LIABILITIES.
THAT'S GONNA BE A SIGNIFICANT RISK ALMOST EVERYWHERE.
WE'RE LOOKING TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL THE LIABILITIES ARE RECORDED
[00:05:01]
AT YEAR END.AND THEN WE DO SOME TRANSACTION SPECIFIC DATA MINING, BECAUSE THERE'S SO MUCH INFORMATION GOING IN AND OUT OF THE CITY, RECEIPTS COMING IN, PAYMENTS GOING OUT, PAYROLL, UH, WE NEED DATA MINING SOFTWARE TO HELP US FILTER THROUGH THAT DATA TO LOOK FOR UNUSUAL ITEMS. SO IT CAN BE THE TIME OF DAY THAT THOSE ITEMS ARE GOING OUT.
IT CAN BE, UM, DOLLAR THRESHOLDS TO COME UNDER A PROCUREMENT REQUIREMENT.
SO THOSE ARE SOME EXAMPLES OF THINGS THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR WHEN WE'RE DOING OUR DATA MINING PROCEDURES.
AND AS PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENT AUDIT, BECAUSE THE CITY EXPENDS MORE THAN $750,000 OF FEDERAL FUNDING, WE ALSO HAVE A SINGLE AUDIT.
SO WE'VE GOT THOSE THREE MAJOR PROGRAMS THAT HAVE TO BE AUDITED IN ACCORDANCE TO THOSE, UM, TO THE GRANT AGREEMENTS AND TO WHAT THE US DEPARTMENT STATE THE CITY HAS TO ABIDE BY.
SO THOSE PROGRAMS WERE YOUR EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, YOUR HOME PROGRAM, AND THEN YOUR ARPA PROGRAM.
UH, THOSE THREE PROGRAMS TOGETHER MADE UP OVER 35% OF YOUR FEDERAL EXPENDITURES THIS YEAR.
ANOTHER RISK IS MANAGEMENT OVERRIDE OF CONTROLS, AND THAT'S A RISK EVERYWHERE.
THAT IS WHERE, UH, WE HAVE TO BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR WHERE COULD MANAGEMENT GO IN AND MISSTATE THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS WITHOUT PROPER APPROVAL.
UH, THAT COULD LOOK LIKE A JOURNAL ENTRY THAT'S MADE THROUGH THE SYSTEM, MAYBE RECOGNIZING REVENUE, BUT THERE'S NO SUPPORT OR THERE'S NO APPROVAL.
SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING WHEN WE'RE LOOKING FOR MANAGEMENT OVERRIDE OF CONTROLS.
WE DON'T GIVE AN OPINION ON INTERNAL CONTROLS, BUT WE DO TEST INTERNAL, INTERNAL CONTROLS OVER THE PAYROLL AND CASH DISBURSEMENT PROCESS AS WELL.
THOSE ARE LARGE, UH, TRANSACTION CYCLES AT THE CITY, AND SO THAT'S WHY WE'RE SAMPLING AND TESTING PROCEDURES THERE AS WELL.
AND THIS IS A LONG LIST OF THE OTHER ITEMS THAT WE'RE DOING WHEN WE'RE OUT HERE.
UM, I WON'T GO THROUGH AND READ EVERYTHING, BUT WE'RE REALLY LOOKING TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S A GOVERNING BODY.
WE'RE READING THE MINUTES, WE'RE DOING ACCOUNT INQUIRIES, WE'RE LOOKING, WE'RE REQUIRED TO LOOK FOR FRAUD.
SO, UM, IF THERE WAS ANY FRAUD OR NON-COMPLIANCE, WE WOULD REPORT THAT TO YOU.
WE ALSO HAVE AN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY TEAM THAT COMES OUT AND, UM, EVALUATES THE INTERNAL CONTROLS OVER YOUR IT ENVIRONMENT.
WE'RE LOOKING AT THE ADEQUACY OF THE NOTE DISCLOSURES.
THE CITY DOES PREPARE THEIR FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, SO WE'RE REVIEWING THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, THE DEBT, UM, TAX REVENUE AND COLLECTIONS.
AND THEN THIS YEAR, ONE OF THE BIG PRONOUNCEMENTS WAS, UM, WHAT'S ON HERE.
UH, TOWARDS THE END IT SAYS AVITAS, S-B-I-T-A, UH, THAT'S SUB SUBSCRIPTION BASED IT ARRANGEMENTS.
SO WE LIKE ACRONYMS. UM, BUT THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT THAT MEANS.
AND THAT IS REALLY THE LEASING OF SOFTWARE AND THAT'S A BIG LIFT FOR THE CITY TO, UM, GATHER ALL OF THOSE CONTRACTS AND TO PUT THOSE ON THE BALANCE SHEET THIS YEAR.
SO, UM, TO THE, WHAT YOU'RE HERE FOR, UM, THE REPORT THAT WE ISSUED WAS AN UNMODIFIED OPINION, SO THAT'S A CLEAN OPINION.
UH, WE HAD NO MATERIAL WEAKNESSES, UH, NO SIGNIFICANT DEFICIENCIES TO REPORT TO YOU.
AND THEN NO, UH, MATERIAL NON-COMPLIANCE.
UM, AND THESE ARE REALLY HIGH LEVEL RESULTS.
IF WE HAD HAD A MODIFIED OPINION, A MATERIAL WEAKNESS, YOU CERTAINLY WOULD'VE BEEN MADE AWARE OF IT BEFOREHAND.
WE WOULD, UM, HAVE A FINDING, UM, FOR YOU TO EVALUATE.
SO, UM, NONE OF THAT FOR THIS YEAR.
REALLY A TESTAMENT TO THAT, TO THE FINANCE TEAM AND ALL THE CITY DEPARTMENTS THAT WE WORK WITH.
AND THEN FOR THE AUDIT RESULTS OF THE FEDERAL AWARDS, UM, WE HAVE AN UNMODIFIED OPINION OVER THOSE THREE PROGRAMS. AND THEN THE CITY IS A LOWER RISK AUDITEE, SO WE JUST HAD TO AUDIT 20%.
I MENTIONED THAT WE DID 34, UH, NO MATERIAL WEAKNESSES, NO SIGNIFICANT DEFICIENCIES WITH THOSE PROGRAMS. AND THEN NO MATERIAL NON-COMPLIANCE, UM, FOR THOSE AS WELL.
UM, ARPA MONEY IS HIGHLY SCRUTINIZED, SO, UM, AND NEW, FAIRLY NEW.
SO IT'S, UM, IT'S, IT'S VERY GOOD TO HAVE NO FINDINGS IN YOUR SINGLE AUDIT.
THAT'S WHERE WE'RE TESTING A LOT OF INTERNAL CONTROLS.
AND THEN THIS PART OF THE PRESENTATION IS THOSE REQUIRED COMMUNICATIONS THAT WE'RE REQUIRED TO HAVE WITH THOSE CHARGED WITH GOVERNANCE.
UH, IT'S LETTING YOU KNOW THAT WE DID THE AUDIT IN ACCORDANCE WITH GENERALLY ACCEPTED AUDITING STANDARDS.
AND THEN, UM, THAT WE DID HAD AN UNMODIFIED OPINION.
UH, WE ALSO DID THE AUDIT IN ACCORDANCE WITH GENERALLY ACCEPTED GOVERNMENT AUDITING STANDARDS.
AND THAT'S WHERE WE DID TEST THOSE INTERNAL CONTROLS OVER FINANCIAL REPORTING.
THAT'S THE, THAT'S THE GUIDANCE THAT REALLY HAS US LOOKING AT INTERNAL CONTROLS.
UM, IT'S NOT THAT WE GIVE AN OPINION ON CONTROLS, BUT WE DO TEST THEM.
AND THEN THE AUDITOR RESPONSIBILITY UNDER UNIFORM GUIDANCE IS THE SINGLE AUDIT.
SO THAT'S OUR GUIDANCE THAT WE USE WHEN WE'RE DOING THOSE, UM, UH, AUDIT OVER THOSE FEDERAL EXPENDITURES.
[00:10:03]
SO FOR UNUSUAL TRANSACTIONS, THERE WERE NO UNUSUAL TRANSACTIONS THIS YEAR.THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING WHERE THERE IS NO ACCOUNTING OR AUTHORITATIVE GUIDANCE, AND WE WOULD BRING THAT TO YOUR ATTENTION IN HOW WE TESTED IT.
UH, THIS YEAR, LIKE I MENTIONED, THE SUBSCRIPTION BASED IT ARRANGEMENTS WAS THE BIG PRONOUNCEMENT THAT, UM, DID HAVE AN EFFECT ON YOUR FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
UM, UH, AN ASSET WAS RECORDED FOR THAT LEASE.
THE SUBSCRIPTIONS THAT SOFTWARE ASSET, UH, IT'S CALLED A RIGHT TO USE ASSET FOR THE SOFTWARE.
UH, A LOT OF THAT IS IN PUBLIC SAFETY.
UM, YOUR FINANCIAL STATEMENT, YOUR ERP SYSTEM, UH, IS AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT WOULD CONSTITUTE AS A, A SUBSCRIPTION BASED IT ARRANGEMENT.
AND THEN, UM, YOU RECORD THE CAPITAL ASSET, BUT THEN YOU ALSO RECORD A LIABILITY.
SO IN THE END, THE EFFECT IS REALLY NOTHING 'CAUSE YOU'RE RECORDING THAT ASSET AND RECORDING THE LIABILITY.
BUT IT DID TAKE A WHILE TO GATHER ALL THE INFORMATION.
SO, UH, A BIG LIFT IN, I WILL SAY OUT OF ALL THE CITIES WE AUDIT, WHICH OVER 50 ACROSS THE STATE, UM, GARLAND DID AN AMAZING JOB JUST BEING PREPARED FOR THAT COMPARED TO EVERYONE.
I WOULD SAY TOP AT THE TOP FOR SURE.
SO JUST THE, UH, ACUMEN TO GO IN, UNDERSTAND THE PRONOUNCEMENT, GET IT TO, UH, THE INVENTORY TOGETHER, EVALUATE ALL THOSE CONTRACTS.
WE HAD A LOT OF CITIES THAT HAD TO OUTSOURCE THAT WORK.
UM, WE HAD A LOT OF CITIES THAT JUST DIDN'T DO IT AND HAD MATERIAL WEAKNESSES.
SO, UM, THIS WAS HANDS DOWN, I WOULD SAY THE SMOOTHEST THAT I SAW.
SO, UH, WE DO APPRECIATE THE LEGWORK THAT WENT INTO THAT FOR SURE.
UM, NO DIFFICULTIES WERE ENCOUNTERED DURING THE COURSE OF THE AUDIT.
WHAT THAT MEANS IS WHEN WE BEGIN THE AUDIT, IT'S SCHEDULED TO BEGIN MID-JANUARY.
THE CITY IS PREPARED, THEY'RE READY, THEY HAVE THEIR FINANCIAL STATEMENTS TOGETHER.
WE'RE NOT MAKING ADJUSTMENTS, WE'RE NOT WAITING ON THEM.
UH, WHEN WE ASK FOR DOCUMENTATION AND WE ASK FOR A LOT, UH, WE CAN TELL IT'S A PRIORITY.
SO THE AUDIT GOES VERY SMOOTH, UM, FROM, FROM START TO FINISH.
AT THE END OF THE AUDIT ON MARCH 11TH, WE REQUESTED THE MANAGEMENT REPRESENTATIONS.
AND WHAT THAT MEANS IS THE CITY PROVIDES US A LETTER STATING, UH, WE'VE GIVEN YOU EVERYTHING.
WE'VE TOLD YOU EVERYTHING THAT YOU NEED TO KNOW FOR THE AUDIT.
WE HAVEN'T WITHHELD ANYTHING FROM YOU.
AND WE GET THAT SIGNED FROM THE CITY.
UH, WE'RE INDEPENDENT AS AN AUDIT TEAM.
AND THEN AS A FIRM, WE DO CONFLICT CHECKS EVERY YEAR TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T HAVE, UH, PERSONNEL AT OUR OFFICE WORKING AT THE CITY OF GARLAND IN THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT, FOR EXAMPLE.
SO, UM, THE ACT PER THAT YOU HAVE IS, IS LONG AND IT'S NOT ALL AUDITED.
SO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS ARE NOT ALL AUDITED, THE BASIC FINANCIALS ARE, BUT THOSE 10 YEAR SCHEDULES AT THE BACK, FOR EXAMPLE, THE STATISTICAL SECTION IS UNAUDITED.
WE DO REVIEW THE INFORMATION, BUT THERE ARE PIECES THAT ARE UNAUDITED.
SO, UH, WE'RE REQUIRED TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU KNOW THAT.
AND THEN THERE ARE ESTIMATES INCLUDED IN THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
A LOT OF THOSE ARE PROVIDED BY THIRD PARTIES, SO THEY'RE NOT AS RISKY AS, UM, AS ESTIMATES THAT WOULD BE MADE BY MANAGEMENT.
UM, THESE ARE ACTUARIAL EVALUATIONS OR THIRD PARTY EVALUATIONS, AND WE'RE LOOKING AT THE ASSUMPTIONS THAT ARE MADE WITHIN THOSE.
SO THE USE OF OTHERS, WE USE QUITE A, A LOT OF, UM, UM, SPECIALISTS AS PART OF THE ENGAGEMENT.
WE HAVE, UM, THE AUDITOR FOR THE GARLAND HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION PROVIDES THOSE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
UH, WE HAVE AN INVESTMENT VALUATION, UM, SOFTWARE THAT LOOKS AT THE FAIR MARKET VALUE OF INVESTMENTS.
AND THEN THESE, A A LOT OF THESE ARE THOSE ACTUARIAL VALUATIONS THAT I TALKED ABOUT, YOUR ACTUARIES, UM, HILLTOP SECURITIES FOR THE ARBITRAGE REBATE CALCULATION, AND THEN WEAVER GROUP FOR THE LANDFILL.
UH, AND THEN OF COURSE WE USE THE INTERNAL AUDIT.
WE TEAM UP WITH THEM AND, UM, FANTASTIC GROUP.
THEY DO OUR CASH DISBURSEMENTS TESTS, PAYROLL TESTS, UM, BECAUSE THEY REPORT TO YOU AND ARE INDEPENDENT, WE'RE ALLOWED TO WORK WITH THEM AND, AND HAVE THEM HELP US COMPLETE THE AUDIT ON TIME.
UH, THEY ALSO DO THE UTILITY BILLING TESTING.
SO THEY'RE LOOKING AT ELECTRIC WATER, SEWER SOLID WASTE AND STORM WATER BILLS.
I THINK ONE OF THE MAJOR HIGHLIGHTS OF THE AUDIT IS THIS FIRST BULLET POINT, THE AUDIT ADJUSTMENTS AND PAST ADJUSTMENTS.
UH, WE DID NOT HAVE ANY OF THOSE DURING THE COURSE OF OUR AUDIT.
UH, I THINK THAT'S A REAL, UM, TELLING FACTOR OF HOW WELL THE AUDIT WENT.
IF WE WERE TO PRESENT TO YOU A LIST OF AUDIT ADJUSTMENTS THAT WE MADE, IT WOULD ESSENTIALLY BE ERRORS THAT WE FOUND DURING THE COURSE OF THE AUDIT.
AND TO NOT HAVE THAT IS, IT'S UNUSUAL AND, UM, IS A TESTAMENT TO THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT.
AND THEN NO OTHER WRITTEN COMMUNICATION.
UM, IT'S OUT THERE BETWEEN US AND THE CITY.
THERE'S NOT A MANAGEMENT LETTER, THERE'S NOT ANYTHING THAT WE HAVEN'T PRESENTED TO YOU THAT WAS IN THE PACKET TODAY.
[00:15:02]
AND THAT'S THE AUDIT PRESENTATION.CLAIRE AND I ARE HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE.
JUST, UH, BEING ABLE TO, UH, SIT AND LISTEN TO THE MANNER BY WHICH THE AUDIT IS GOING FORWARD.
INCOGNITO JOE WOULD NOT LIE HIM OVER THERE.
WELL, THAT'S A TESTAMENT TO YOUR, YOU AND YOUR DEPARTMENT, MATT, THAT, UM, EVERYTHING THAT I'M HEARING IS JUST EXCITING.
SO, UH, WITH THAT, BEFORE I GO ANY FURTHER, LET ME JUST GO AROUND THE ROOM.
ANY, ANY COMMENTS, QUESTIONS? THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.
YES, THANK YOU, CLAIRE AND, AND SARAH.
SARAH, WOULDN'T DARE LET YOU COME BACK AGAIN AND NOT ASK YOU AT LEAST ONE QUESTION.
UH, WHAT WAS THE TIMEFRAME OR SCOPE? CAN YOU ELABORATE A LITTLE BIT ON THAT? YOU SAID YOU LOOKED AT THE PRESCRIPTIONS, UH, OVER WHAT PERIOD OF TIME.
DID YOU LOOK AT, LOOK AT THINGS LIKE CHANGES IN PRESCRIPTIONS? DID YOU LOOK AT RATE? CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, I MEAN, YOU SAID YOU LOOKED AT 'EM.
WHAT DID THAT ENTAIL? YEAH, SURE.
CAN YOU ELABORATE A LITTLE BIT ON THAT FOR ME PLEASE? SO BEFORE THE SUBSCRIPTIONS OR YOUR PAYMENTS FOR SOFTWARE WERE REALLY EXPENSES JUST GOING OUT.
SO IT WOULD BE CASH PAY FOR THE SUBSCRIPTION, AND THERE REALLY WASN'T A REASON TO ACCUMULATE ALL OF THESE CONTRACTS.
AND SO BECAUSE THE STANDARD HAD TO BE IMPLEMENTED AT TEN ONE TWENTY TWENTY TWO, THE BEGINNING OF YOUR FISCAL YEAR, THE CITY HAD TO GO AND LOOK FOR EVERY SUBSCRIPTION CONTRACT THAT WAS OUT THERE.
UM, THEY HAVE TO BE LONG TERM.
SO IF IT WAS A SUBSCRIPTION CONTRACT THAT IS SHORT TERM OR LESS THAN 12 MONTHS, IT DIDN'T, UM, HAVE TO BE EVALUATED.
BUT FOR ANY CONTRACT THAT WAS LONG TERM, THE, THE CITY HAD TO GO THROUGH AND DETERMINE IS IT MATERIAL, WHAT IS THE LENGTH ON THE SUBSCRIPTION? SO IF YOU HAVE THE, FOR EXAMPLE, BODY CAMERAS OR THE SOFTWARE THAT GOES INTO THE PUBLIC SAFETY DEPARTMENT, UM, YOU PULL THAT PARTICULAR CONTRACT AND YOU READ THROUGH AND YOU SEE WHAT'S THE ANNUAL PAYMENT, HOW LONG IS THE TERM, AND THEN YOU PUT THAT ASSET, UM, I CAN'T, WAS IT 5.5? IT WAS A, A BIG DOLLAR AMOUNT FOR SURE.
UH, YOUR ERP SYSTEM WAS ABOUT 3.5 MILLION.
AND THEN OVERALL, I THINK IT WAS ABOUT 14 AND A HALF FOR GOVERNMENTAL ACTIVITIES, AND THEN 500,000 FOR BUSINESS TYPES.
SO IT WAS A HUGE DOLLAR AMOUNT, THE CAPITAL ASSET PIECE OF IT, AS WELL AS THE LIABILITY.
BUT JUST THE EFFORT TO GO THROUGH AND ACCUMULATE ALL OF THOSE CONTRACTS, UM, THE BEST WAY TO DO IT IS TO LOOK AT YOUR EXPENDITURES AND LOOK FOR SOME REOCCURRING PAYMENTS.
AND THEN YOU'RE, IT'S, YOU'RE HUNTING, UH, BECAUSE YOU'VE NEVER REALLY HAD TO KEEP THEM ALL IN ONE PLACE.
AND SO THIS WAS, ALL DEPARTMENTS WERE UNDER THIS PUBLIC SAFETY, ENGINEERING, WATER SEWER, EVERY DEPARTMENT WAS UNDER THIS.
AND SO THE FINANCE TEAM REALLY WENT THROUGH ALL THE P CARD TRANSACTIONS, ALL OF THE MONTHLY, QUARTERLY, ANNUAL PAYMENTS THAT WENT TO THESE DIFFERENT SOFTWARE VENDORS.
HAD TO COMPILE EVERYTHING INTO ONE SPREADSHEET AND REALLY EVALUATE WHAT THE PAYMENT TERMS WERE, HOW, HOW THE COST THAT THEY WERE PAYING TODAY OR MONTHLY OR QUARTERLY, HOW MUCH WAS THAT FUTURE LIABILITY OUT THERE FOR THEM? SO IT WAS QUITE AN ENDEAVOR.
ANYONE ELSE? I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR ALL THE, ALL THE HARD WORK.
IT'S VERY OBVIOUS THIS WAS, UH, THIS WAS QUITE AN ENDEAVOR AND, UM, TO HEAR THAT YOU'VE DONE, UH, YOU DID, UH, AUDITED 50 CITIES AND WE'RE, IF NOT AT THE TOP OF THE HEAP, THE, YOU KNOW, REALLY CLOSE TO IT.
AND SO IT, IT, IT'S A TESTAMENT TO MATT AND ALLISON.
IT'S A TESTAMENT TO OUR CITY MANAGEMENT, AND I THINK GARLAND IN GENERAL, THAT WE'RE A VERY TRANSPARENT CITY.
SO THANK YOU FOR THE HARD WORK.
AND I RECOGNIZE A FEW PEOPLE THAT WERE YES, PLEASE, HEAVILY INVOLVED IN THIS, THAT ARE IN THE BACK.
THIS IS, WE'RE, WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF PROBABLY THE LARGEST FEDERAL GRANT MONEY THAT WE'VE EVER HAD AT THE CITY.
SO THE, THAT SINGLE AUDIT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.
AND THIS WHOLE AUDIT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO OUR BOND HOLDERS, OUR, OUR RESIDENTS AND COMMUNITY TO SHOW THAT WE ARE NOT FUDGING ANY NUMBERS AND WE'RE DOING WHAT WE SAY WE'RE GONNA DO.
BUT CATHERINE RITCHIE, OUR FINANCE ADMINISTRATOR, AS WELL AS NANCY GURA, WHO'S NEXT TO OUR FINANCE MANAGER, ASK, PLEASE STAND.
[00:20:03]
WE DON'T JUST CALL YOUR NAME.I REALLY JUST WANT TO SEE YEAH.
WELL, ACTUALLY,
AND JUSTICE SABITA ALONE WAS A HEAVY LIFT, AND WE WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO IT WITHOUT THOSE TWO LADIES AND THEIR STAFF.
THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH, CHAIRMAN.
I, I WAS, I WAS JUST ABOUT TO SAY THAT, BUT MATT BEAT BEAT ME TO IT.
AND CATHERINE AND NANCY, I ALSO WANT TO THANK OUR IT DEPARTMENT AND CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPARTMENT FOR HELPING US DURING TESTING.
UM, BECAUSE THEY HAD TO PROVIDE A LOT OF INFORMATION FOR US.
SO JUST WANTED TO ECHO APPRECIATION AND THANK THANK THANKFULNESS TO EVERYBODY.
I KNOW YOU GOT SOMETHING TO SAY.
NOW I'LL ADD TO THE GRATITUDE AND JUST SAY THANKS TO MATT AND HIS TEAM AND ALLISON, UH, EVERYONE INVOLVED.
UM, AND IT, IT IS A UNIQUE PARTNERSHIP THAT WE HAVE WITH, UH, THE INTERNAL AUDIT DEPARTMENT TOO, AND THAT THEY GET TO SERVE AND PLAY A ROLE IN THE, UH, IN THE ANNUAL, UM, IN THE ANNUAL AUDIT TOO.
SO I, I'D FORGOTTEN ABOUT THAT, SO I'M GLAD YOU MENTIONED IT.
JUST A LOT OF GRATITUDE FOR SURE.
AND, UH, THAT GIVES ME OPPORTUNITY END TO JUST COME BACK AND SAY THAT, UH, YOU ALL MAKE US PEACOCK PROUD, THIS ENTIRE TEAM, ALL THE WORK THAT YOU DO, WHEN I STOP AND LISTEN TO ALL THAT TAKES PLACE AND THE WORK THAT YOU DO TO MAKE US LOOK GOOD, AND YOU DO, YOU MAKE OUR COUNCIL LOOK GOOD, YOU MAKE THE MAYOR LOOK GOOD, YOU MAKE THE CITY LOOK GOOD, AND YOU WANT TO, YOU WANT TO MESS PEOPLE UP AND GET PEOPLE UPSET, MESS WITH THE MONEY, MESS WITH THE MONEY
AND SO WHEN PEOPLE KNOW THAT THE MONEY IS BEING TAKEN CARE OF AND THAT WE HAVE A GOOD ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEM, A GOOD CHECKS AND BALANCE.
AND FOR YOU GUYS, UH, SARAH, YOU AND CLAIRE, THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR COMING AND WORKING WITH US, AND, UH, WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU AGAIN, UH, NEXT YEAR.
UH, BUT THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE AND FOR THE ACCOLADES THAT YOU'VE PAID TO OUR STAFF.
OKAY, LET'S MOVE NOW ON TO OUR NEXT ITEM, WHICH LOOKS LIKE, UH, JED IS AT, UH, INTERNAL CONTROLS.
UH, THAT'S THE MUNICIPAL COURT COMPLIANCE AUDIT PROGRAM.
ALL THE OTHER DOCUMENTS, THE MUNICIPAL COURT COMPLIANCE.
ALRIGHT, SO ALL THOSE DOCUMENTS TOOK PLACE THERE.
ALRIGHT, YOU READY TO GO? YEAH.
WE'RE, LET'S GIVE YOU A LITTLE BACKGROUND.
UH, BACK IN SEPTEMBER, UH, WE BROUGHT IN, UH, WE DID AN AUDIT OF THE MUNICIPAL COURT COMPLIANCE PROGRAM, AND WE ISSUED THE REPORT TO THE COMMITTEE BACK THEN.
AND AT THAT POINT, THE COMMITTEE, UH, ASKED FOR A, UM, A REPORT BACK FROM MANAGEMENT.
SO I'M GRATEFUL TO REPORT THAT MR. SLAY AND MS. KIMBERLY, UH, WORK HARD ON IMPLEMENTING A LOT OF THOSE COM UH, RECOMMENDATIONS.
SO THEY HAVE A PRESENTATION FOR US.
UM, AND OF COURSE, UM, PATRICIA DID THE INITIAL AUDIT.
AND AGAIN, I WANT TO THANK THE COURT STAFF.
THEY ACTUALLY MET WITH US A FEW WEEKS AGO WHEN, WHEN IN EXTREME DETAILS WITH US IN EVERYTHING THAT THEY DID.
UH, YOU, YOU, YOU JUST CAN'T BE MORE PROUD OF WHAT THEY, WHAT THEY HAVE ACCOMPLISHED WITHIN THE PAST SIX MONTHS.
AND YOU WILL GET TO HEAR THEM, UH, SPEAK ABOUT IT.
WELL, UH, I'D LIKE TO START OUT BY SAYING IT, IT'S, IT'S GOOD TO BE HERE WITH YOU TODAY.
UH, I GUESS ABOUT SIX MONTHS AGO, WE KIND OF STARTED DOWN A PATH AND, UH, SPENT A LITTLE TIME WITH, WITH JED AND PATRICIA AND REALIZED WE, WE MIGHT HAVE HAD A LITTLE WORK TO DO, AND WE IMMEDIATELY BEGAN WORKING THROUGH SOME OF THE OBSERVATIONS THAT WE KNEW WERE, UH, GOING TO BE REPORTED.
AND, UH, I'M HERE TODAY TO TELL YOU, UH, UH, WE'RE IN A REALLY GOOD PLACE, UH, VERY PROUD TO SAY WE WORKED VERY CLOSELY WITH, WITH JED AND PATRICIA, AS WELL AS OUR MUNICIPAL COURT JUDGES WHO COULD NOT BE HERE TODAY BECAUSE THEY'RE BOTH, UH, I BELIEVE IN AUSTIN DOING SOME TRAINING.
AND, UH, JUDGE SCH WANTED ME TO LET YOU GUYS KNOW THAT HE'S VERY HAPPY WITH WHERE WE'RE AT, WHERE WE'RE, UH, HEADED WITH OUR MUNICIPAL COURT.
UH, HE'S VERY, VERY HAPPY TO HAVE THIS YOUNG LADY SITTING TO MY LEFT, UH, TO K KIND OF HELP US NAVIGATE, UH, YOU KNOW, OUR, OUR SHORT AND LONG-TERM GOALS THERE AT MUNICIPAL COURT.
BUT, UH, WE'VE WORKED ON THESE RECOMMENDATIONS AND HAVE A SHORT PRESENTATION FOR YOU TODAY.
[00:25:01]
IF, UH, MR. CHAIRMAN, IF YOU DON'T MIND, I'D LIKE TO TURN IT OVER TO KIMBERLY.UM, THE AUDIT LAID OUT SEVERAL OBSERVATIONS THAT WERE MADE BY THE AUDIT TEAM AND WE ADDRESSED EACH ONE OF THOSE OBSERVATIONS, UM, TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION THEIR RECOMMENDATION AND WHAT WE COULD DO TO MEET THAT RECOMMENDATION AT ITS VERY CORE LEVEL.
BUT ANYTHING WE COULD DO TO GO ABOVE AND BEYOND THAT AS WELL.
SO IF YOU JUST WANNA INTRODUCE WHAT THE OBSERVATION WAS AND THEN WHAT YOU DID.
UM, OBSERVATION NUMBER ONE WAS ALTERNATIVE PAYMENT OPTION PROCESSES WERE NOT CLEARLY DEFINED.
SO TO ASSIST WITH MEETING THE RECOMMENDATION, WE, UH, CONFERRED WITH THE JUDGES AND THE PRESIDING JUDGE ISSUED A STANDING ORDER, WHICH IS JUST EXACTLY THAT, IS IN AN ORDER OF THE PRESIDING JUDGE STATING, THIS IS HOW I WANT THINGS TO HAPPEN.
THIS IS HOW THINGS ARE GOING TO HAPPEN.
AND SO THIS STANDING ORDER WAS ENTERED BY OUR PRESIDING JUDGE.
THIS STANDING ORDER ADDRESSED A LOT OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WERE MADE BY THE AUDIT COMMITTEE.
SO THE PAYMENT PLANS ARE NOW DEFINED, AND THEY'RE BASED ON THE CRITERIA AND THE GUIDELINES OUTLINED IN THAT STANDING ORDER.
AND IN THAT STANDING ORDER HAS BEEN IN PLACE SINCE AUGUST OF 2023.
THIS STANDING ORDER ESTABLISHES TWO DISTINCT OPTIONS.
ONE IS THE PAYMENT PLAN WITH THE FINANCIAL AFFIDAVIT AND THE APPLICATION FOR THOSE WHO MEET THE CRITERIA GUIDELINES OF THE STANDING ORDER AND THE ALTERNATIVE PAYMENT OPTION, FINANCIAL AFFIDAVIT AND APPLICATION FOR THOSE WHO DO NOT MEET THE CRITERIA GUIDELINES OF THE STANDING ORDER.
ALL OF THE PAYMENT PLAN FORMS AND INSTRUCTIONS HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED AND ARE AVAILABLE IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH.
ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES NEEDED CLARIFICATION.
SO THE JUDICIAL STANDING ORDERS ESTABLISHED AND DEFINED CRITERIA FOR WHEN A COMPLIANCE OFFICER HAS THE AUTHORITY TO ASSIST A DEFENDANT IN ESTABLISHING OR CHANGING A COMPLIANCE PAYMENT PLAN.
A COMPLIANCE OFFICER IS THE, THEY'RE THE INDIVIDUALS WHO HANDLE OUR COLLECTIONS OF THE JUDGMENTS THAT NEED TO BE ENFORCED.
WHEN A COMPLIANCE OFFICER SHALL ASSIST A DEFENDANT IN SEEKING ALTERNATIVE PAYMENT OPTIONS, INCLUDING SCHEDULING A HEARING DATE BEFORE THE JUDGE AND REDUCTIONS IN THE FINE AMOUNTS BY COURT STAFF, THESE ARE LIMITED TO THOSE SITUATIONS ADDRESSED IN ANOTHER STANDING ORDER IN ORDER TO BE EXECUTED BY A LEAD OR A SUPERVISOR ONLY WITH, UM, DOCUMENTATION OF THE REASON FOR THAT REDUCTION NOTED IN THE CASE FILE.
OBSERVATION NUMBER THREE, MINIMAL PERFORMANCE MEASURES AND REPORTING.
THE CURRENT COURT CASE MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE DOES NOT HAVE ADEQUATE REPORTING AND PERFORMANCE MEASURE CAPABILITIES.
HOWEVER, THE MUNICIPAL COURT HAS ALREADY EXPLORED REPLACING THAT SOFTWARE AND WILL BE REQUESTING A NEW COURT CASE SOFTWARE CASE MANAGEMENT.
UH, IN THE UPCOMING BUDGET REQUEST PROCESS, THE PROPOSED SOFTWARE WILL HAVE SUPPORTING AND PERFORMANCE MEASURE CAP PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENT CAPABILITIES.
UM, A COMPENSATING CONTROL IS CURRENTLY IN PLACE FOR THE COMPLIANCE DIVISION SUPERVISOR TO PERIODICALLY MANUALLY AUDIT CASES TO ENSURE THAT PROCEDURES ARE STRICTLY ADHERED TO.
OBSERVATION NUMBER FOUR, APPROVAL IS LACKING ON PAYMENT PLAN TERMS. A JUDICIAL STANDING ORDER HAS BEEN IN PLACE THAT STANDING ORDER NUMBER 12 SINCE AUGUST, 2023.
ESTABLISHING DEFINED PAYMENT PLAN CRITERIA AND GUIDELINES FOR A MINIMUM MONTHLY AMOUNT TO BE PAID, A MAXIMUM TIME ALLOWED AND SCHEDULING A HEARING BEFORE A JUDGE IF THE TOTAL AMOUNT DUE IS $2,000 OR MORE.
SO WE'RE HALFWAY THROUGH THE OBSERVATIONS.
UM, AND JUST WANTED TO ASK, DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE FIRST FOUR BEFORE WE MOVE ON? THAT'S A LOT OF INFORMATION, ISN'T IT? MM-HMM,
OBSERVATION NUMBER FIVE, INSUFFICIENT DOCUMENT RETENTION AND DATA ACCURACY.
ALL DOCUMENTS CREATED AND RECEIVED BY THE COMPLIANCE DIVISION STAFF ARE NOW SCANNED TO EACH AFFECTED CASE FILE RATHER THAN JUST ONE OF THEM FOR RETENTION AND FUTURE REVIEW.
THE COMPLIANCE DIVISION SUPERVISOR WILL PERIODICALLY AUDIT THOSE, UM, CASE FILES TO ENSURE THAT THE PROCEDURES ARE ADHERED TO AND THAT THE DOCUMENTS ARE SAVED TO THE CASE FILES.
OBSERVATION NUMBER SIX, LIMITED ELECTRONIC PROCESSES.
AGAIN, UM, THE MUNICIPAL COURT COLLABORATED WITH IT TO DEVELOP JUST A BASIC PUBLIC FACING PORTAL THAT WOULD SUPPORT
[00:30:01]
DEFENDANTS LOOKING UP THEIR CASES ON THEIR OWN FROM OUR WEBSITE SO THAT THEY CAN SEE THEIR INFORMATION REGARDING PAYMENT AMOUNT AND THE STATUS OF THEIR CASE.THIS, IT'S IN IT, IT WAS IN ITS TESTING PHASE, BUT IT ACTUALLY WENT LIVE AND IT'S ON OUR WEBSITE AS OF MARCH 21ST.
SO THE DEFENDANTS CAN GO ONTO THE WEBSITE AND ACTUALLY LOOK AND REVIEW AT THEIR CASE ON ONLINE ALL THE OTHER WEBSITE OPTIONS THAT WERE CONSIDERED DURING THE, UM, AUDIT AND, AND RECOMMENDATION AND RECOMMENDED THAT WILL HAVE TO BE CONSIDERED WHEN WE MOVE TO OUR NEW CASE MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE BECAUSE OUR CURRENT SOFTWARE DOES NOT HAVE THAT CAPABILITY AS WELL.
SO A NEW APPLICATION WAS COMPLETED FOR PAYMENT PLAN REVISIONS, UH, THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO DO A NEW APPLICATION WHEN A PAYMENT PLAN NEEDED TO BE REVISED RATHER THAN ALTERING A PREVIOUS APPLICATION.
OBSERVATION NUMBER SEVEN, THE TRANSACTION REVERSALS AND LIMITED SEGREGATION OF DUTIES.
THE JUDICIAL STANDING ORDER SPECIFY THE GUIDELINES FOR APPLYING PAYMENTS RECEIVED.
A REVERSAL OR REDUCTION IN FINE AMOUNT IS PERFORMED ONLY BY A LEAD OR A SUPERVISOR WITH DOCUMENTATION IN THE CASE FILE FOR THE REASON FOR THAT REVERSAL OR REDUCTION.
AND FINALLY, OBSERVATION NUMBER EIGHT, PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION SECURITY.
THE COMPLIANCE DIVISION, STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES MANUAL HAS BEEN UPDATED AND REVISED TO REPLACE ACTUAL COURT CASE EXAMPLES WITH TEST CASE DATA TO ENSURE THAT NO PII INFORMATION IS USED.
DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR KIMBERLY OR KEVIN? OKAY.
COUNCILMAN WILLIAMS. THANK, THANK YOU.
WOULD YOU GO BACK TO THE SLIDE? I FORGOT THE NUMBER.
WE HAD LIMITED ELECTRONIC PROCESS NUMBER SEVEN.
UH, THAT, THAT ONE RIGHT THERE.
WHERE'S IT? AND AND YOU, YOU, YOU SAY THAT THAT NEW APPLICATIONS YOU'RE LOOKING AT, ALL OF THEIR SOFTWARE OPTIONS WILL BE CONSIDERED, UH, UH, PRIMARILY KEVIN, YOU WANNA TALK ABOUT WHAT, WHAT WILL BE THE, WHETHER IT BE A TESTING PERIOD FOR THOSE NEW APPLICATIONS.
CAN EVAN, CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT THAT WOULD, WHEN YOU SAY ALL THAT WEBSITE OPS, I CAN'T EVEN READ ALL OTHER WEBSITE OPTIONS WILL BE CONSIDERED WITH THE PURCHASE.
WILL THERE BE A TESTING PERIOD BEFORE YOU LAND ON THE ABSOLUTELY.
ONE THAT YOU WANT TO USE? CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT, PLEASE? ABSOLUTELY.
COUNCILMAN WILLIAMS. UH, KIMBERLY MENTIONED THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, AND I'M GONNA LET HER SPEAK TO THAT BECAUSE SHE IS ACTUALLY BEEN MEETING WITH VENDORS AND JUST HAD A, UH, YOU KNOW, A, A HALF A DAY, UH, DEMONSTRATION WITH ONE OF THE SOFTWARE VENDORS THAT, THAT WE'RE LIKELY TO STRONGLY CONSIDER GOING FORWARD.
SO, UH, SHE MENTIONED THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS, WE WERE PLANNING TO REPLACE THAT SYSTEM DURING THE, THE BUDGET PROCESS.
AND, UH, QUITE FRANKLY, WE'RE HOPING, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, TO BEGIN THAT PROCESS MAYBE, UH, IMMEDIATELY IF THAT'S EVEN POSSIBLE.
BUT IT'S, IT'S REAL EXCITING TO HEAR WHERE COURT TECHNOLOGY HAS GONE AS IT RELATES TO USER OPTIONS AND FUNCTIONALITY.
UH, SO AS, AS Y'ALL ALL MIGHT IMAGINING, WE'RE OPERATING A VERY OLD AND ANTIQUATED SYSTEM.
UH, NEW SYSTEMS TODAY ARE LIGHT YEARS AHEAD OF THAT.
AND, UH, AGAIN, SHE HAS BEEN TALKING TO VENDORS, SPENDING A LOT OF TIME WITH OUR VENDORS, AND I KNOW ALL OF COURT STAFF ARE VERY EXCITED OF THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT THESE ADVANCEMENTS ARE GONNA BRING TO OUR MUNICIPAL COURT.
AND REPORTING IS JUST ONE OF 'EM.
IT'S, IT'S CUSTOMER CONVENIENCE.
IT'S THE TOOLBOXES THAT THEY BRING TO THE TABLE FOR, FOR CITIZENS.
SO WOULD YOU LIKE TO ADD ANYTHING TO THAT, KIMBERLY? I, THE ONLY THING I'D LIKE TO ADD IS WE DO HAVE THIS RIGHT NOW WHERE THEY CAN DO THEIR CASE SEARCH, BUT THERE ARE OTHER OPTIONS THAT WILL BE COMING WITH NEW SOFTWARE.
THEY WOULD ACTUALLY BE ABLE TO HANDLE THINGS ON THEIR CASE FROM THEIR HOUSE, FROM THE GROCERY STORE IN THE PARKING LOT ON THEIR CELL PHONE.
THEY'D BE ABLE TO ASK FOR DRIVER SAFETY COURSE.
WHEN YOU ARE SAYING THEY DEFENDANTS, WHO'S THEY? DEFENDANTS.
I, WHEN YOU GET A PARKING CITATION, OKAY.
I THOUGHT YOU TOLD OUR CUSTOMERS DEFENDANTS THEY WOULD HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY TO HANDLE SOME OF THEIR THINGS THAT THEY NEED TO HANDLE.
IF THEY, RATHER THAN HAVING THAT FOOT TRAFFIC IN THE LOBBY, THEY CAN DO IT RIGHT THERE FROM THEIR CONVENIENCE OF THEIR HOME.
AND, AND WITH ANY IT INITIATIVE LIKE THIS, ANY SOFTWARE, WHETHER IT'S INTERNAL FACING OR
[00:35:01]
EXTERNAL FACING, THERE IS AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF THOROUGHLY TESTING, INTERNAL TESTING, POTENTIALLY PILOT TESTING TO ENSURE THAT ONCE A ROLLOUT OCCURS, THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE IDENTIFIED ALL THOSE LITTLE BUGS AND SNAGS AND HICCUPS THAT, THAT MIGHT OCCUR AND INCONVENIENCE A DEFENDANT OR, OR ONE OF OUR CITIZENS.SO YES, I'M SURE THERE'S GONNA BE A LONG TESTING PERIOD BUILT IN HERE TO WHERE WE'RE TRYING TO BREAK THE SYSTEM.
WE'RE TRYING, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING THROUGH ALL THOSE SCENARIOS THAT A CITIZEN OR A THEY MIGHT GO THROUGH, UH, WHEN THEY'RE ACTUALLY IN THE APPLICATION USING IT.
SO YEAH, WE'LL THOROUGHLY VET IT BEFORE WE ROLL ANYTHING OUT TO ANYBODY.
AND TRAIN TRAINING WILL BE A PART OF THAT PANEL.
MY LAST FOR SECOND ON YOUR SCREEN, YOUR PI HIT ONE OF THE SCREENS.
I'M SORRY I DIDN'T GIVE YOU THE NUMBER.
WOULD YOU RESTATE FOR YOUR FINDINGS, OR WOULD YOU SORT OF RESTATE SURE.
FOUND THERE AND YOUR ANY RECOMMENDATION AS IT RELATED TO THE PI? SURE.
SO TO REFRESH YOUR MEMORY ON THAT ONE, UH, THEY HAD DEVELOPED A COMPLIANCE MANUAL WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT THAT USED, UH, ACTUAL, UH, CASE INFORMATION.
IT HAD NAMES, IT HAD DRIVER'S LICENSE, THAT SORT OF THING.
SO YEAH, WE, WE HAD A TRAINING MANUAL.
I MEAN, ALL DEPARTMENTS, UH, HAVE THOSE TRAINING MANUALS TO GIVE NEW HIRES EXAMPLES.
CITIZENS' ACCOUNT, A CITIZEN'S CASE, RIGHT? MM-HMM.
AND WE IMMEDIATELY, I MEAN THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT LIKE IT WAS FULL OF THEM, BUT, BUT IF YOU HAVE ONE THAT'S ONE TOO MANYS.
SO, AND THEY ARE SUBJECT TO THE, UH, PUBLIC INFORMATION MATCH.
SO THOSE HAVE BEEN REMOVED AND REPLACED.
WE ADDRESS THAT PRETTY QUICK CASE, UH, SAMPLE AS, AS A MATTER OF FACT, I WENT AHEAD AND JUST REWROTE THE ENTIRE MANUAL TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE USER FRIENDLY
AND WE DID AWAY WITH THE OLD ONES, WITH THE PERSON IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION IN THEM.
THEY ARE, UH, ZIPPED AND CLOSED, BUT WE HAVE TO ARCHIVE THEM BECAUSE THEY ARE PUBLIC RECORD SO THAT NO ONE CAN ACTUALLY ACCESS THEM.
HOWEVER, WE DO HAVE TO ARCHIVE AND KEEP THEM FOR PUBLIC RECORD.
ONE, THE, IT LOOKS LIKE A FANTASTIC BLUEPRINT GOING FORWARD, BUT, UM, THE CASES, UM, ARE THEY ONLY APPLIED TO FUTURE CASES OR IS IT ALSO ONES IN THE PAST? IF YOU HAVE PEOPLE THAT WE HAD, UH, UH, THERE'S SOME NOTABLE ONES THAT HAD REALLY LONG PAYMENT SCHEDULES.
ARE WE APPLYING THESE CHANGES TO THOSE TYPES OF THINGS? OR IS THIS ONLY TO WHAT'S GOING FORWARD? YES.
UM, SOME OF THOSE THAT HAD A REALLY LONG LIST AND THEY HAD VERY SMALL PAYMENT AMOUNTS, THOSE WERE SET DURING COVID, THE COVID PERIOD.
AND SO WE HAVE GONE BACK AND RECALLED ALL OF THOSE PEOPLE BACK IN NOW THAT COVID HAS PASSED AND WE'RE DONE, CALLED THEM BACK IN AND REWORKED THEIR PAYMENT PLAN SO THAT THEIR PAYMENT AMOUNTS ARE NOW COMMISERATE WITH.
IT'S ACTUALLY POSSIBLE TO PAY THEM OFF.
ANYONE ELSE? I REMEMBER, UH, A FEW MONTHS BACK WHEN WE INITIALLY DEALT WITH THIS AUDIT AND SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE LOOKED AT, IT WAS JUST HARD TO BELIEVE AT THE TIME THAT, UH, WE HAD SITUATIONS OF WHERE WE DIDN'T KNOW WHO HAD THE AUTHORITY TO DO WHAT AND SO ON AND SO FORTH.
AND, UH, I JUST WANNA SAY TO YOU, UH, KIMBERLY, THAT IT'S OBVIOUS THAT YOUR PRESENCE HAS MADE A DIFFERENCE IN THE COURT SYSTEMS OVER THERE, JUST LOOKING AT THE SMILES ON THESE TWO FACES.
AND, UH, YOU'RE, WHAT YOU'RE DOING AT THIS POINT, WE, UH, JUST WANT TO COMMEND YOU AND OF COURSE I KNOW IT'S NOT JUST YOU, IT'S A TOTAL TEAM OVER THERE THAT'S TAKING CARE OF IT.
BUT, UH, I JUST WANNA SAY TO ALL OF YOU, BASED ON WHAT WE'RE HEARING HERE THIS MORNING, IT SOUNDS LIKE THE AUDIT TEAM HAS DONE THE WORK THAT IT NEEDED TO HAVE DONE.
NOW YOU'VE COME IN AND NOT ONLY, UH, MADE SOME CHANGE REWRITTEN, THAT'S WHERE IT REALLY GETS GOOD.
WHEN PEOPLE COME IN, THEY'RE FRESH, THEY'RE NEW, HAVE A NEW SET OF EYES, AND THEY GO TO WORK TO GET THINGS DONE, THAT MAKES US ALL HAPPY.
SO THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR THE WORK THAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING AND THE WORK THAT HAS TAKEN PLACE.
IF THERE ARE NO OTHER, OTHER COMMENTS, OTHER QUESTIONS ARE THERE.
AND THEN FINALLY, IS IT FINALLY,
[00:40:02]
NO, NO, NOT FINALLY.OKAY, LET'S MOVE NOW INTO OUR DRUG AND FIREARM DISPOSITION AUDIT CHAIRMAN.
UM, SO I'M JUST GONNA GIVE YOU A QUICK INTRODUCTION ABOUT THE AUDIT AND, AND THEN I WILL HAVE ERIN SPEAK ABOUT IT.
SHE DID THE AUDIT, DID A GREAT JOB.
UM, THE OBJECTIVE OF THIS AUDIT WAS TO EVALUATE THE RISK AND RELATED CONTROLS OF DRUG AND FOR AND FIREARM DISPOSITION.
UH, OUR SCOPE, UH, WENT ALL THE WAY BACK FROM JANUARY, 2014 THROUGH SEPTEMBER, 2023.
I DO WANNA EMPHASIZE ONE, ONE THING.
WE ONLY LOOKED AT THE ADJUDICATED CASES, UH, THE CASES THAT HAS BEEN DESIGNATED AS DISPOSED.
YES, THAT COVERED APPROXIMATELY 23,500 DRUG ITEMS AND 2,600 FIREARMS. SO IT'S A LOT OF ITEMS. I DO WANNA, UH, RECOGNIZE ONE INDIVIDUAL, UH, WHO REALLY CLEARLY WORKED EXTREMELY HARD WITH US, WHICH IS SHELLY.
UM, WE HAD A LOT OF QUESTIONS FOR HER, A LOT OF REQUESTS FOR HER.
UH, I DON'T REMEMBER AARON EVER COMING AND TELLING ME THERE WAS ANY HESITATION.
AND THANKS TO CHIEF ASWELL, I KNOW HE WANTED TO BE HERE, BUT HE COULDN'T BE.
UH, HE'S IN A CONFERENCE RIGHT NOW, BUT SHELLY OVER THERE.
YEAH, AND THE OPERATION THERE IS VERY COMPLEX.
UH, AS I SAID, UM, THAT REQUIRES A LOT OF CONTINUOUS MONITORING, COMMUNICATION, CAREFUL DOCUMENTATION.
UH, THEY DO HAVE A COMPREHENSIVE INVENTORY SYSTEM.
UM, THEY PURCHASED THAT A FEW YEARS BACK.
OBVIOUSLY, AS YOU'RE AWARE, THEY MOVED INTO THE STATE OF THE ART FACILITY OF, UH, BACK IN THE END OF 2020, IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY.
THEY DO HAVE ONE THING THAT DO, I DO WANNA EMPHASIZE.
THEY DO HAVE VERY DETAILED POLICIES AND PROCEDURES, SO KUDOS TO THEM.
AND SHE'S ACTUALLY MANAGING THIS WHOLE INVENTORY ON TOP OF THAT.
SHE'S ALSO MANAGING THE CITY'S AUTO POUND
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, UM, SIX TECHNICIAN AND ONE SUPERVISOR, WHICH IS SHELLY.
SO THERE'S A LOT ON HER PLATE.
UH, DO YOU WANNA RECOGNIZE THAT? OF COURSE, WE'RE GONNA HAVE SOME RECOMMENDATIONS, BUT, UM, I FEEL VERY GOOD ABOUT, UM, THE TRACK THAT THEY'RE ON.
UH, ERIN DID AN EXCELLENT JOB, SO JUST GONNA TURN IT OVER TO HER.
SHE'S GONNA GO OVER, UH, OUR OBSERVATIONS.
SO, AS JED SAID, UM, THE PROPERTY AND EVIDENCE UNIT MOVED, UH, TO A NEW INVENTORY SYSTEM BACK IN 2020.
UM, AND THEY MOVED INTO A BRAND NEW FACILITY IN 2022.
SO, UM, THERE'S STILL A LOT OF TRANSITION HAPPENING WITH DATA AND ACCOUNTABILITY WITH ACTUAL PROPERTY AS WELL.
UM, BUT I WANNA GIVE SOME BACKGROUND ON, UH, THE DISPOSAL PROCESS.
SO LET ME MAKE SURE I'M ALIGNED HERE.
SO, PROPERTY MAY BE ACQUIRED BY LEGAL SEIZURE FOUND BY LAW ENFORCEMENT PERSONNEL OR BY THE PUBLIC, OR VOLUNTARILY SUBMITTED BY THE OWNER.
UH, CONTRABAND PROPERTY SUCH AS NARCOTICS AND ILLEGAL WEAPONS ARE ALMOST ALWAYS DESTROYED WITH EXCEPTIONS REQUIRING FORMAL RELEASE DOCUMENTATION.
UH, IF PROPERTY SERVES AS EVIDENCE IN A LEGAL CASE, THE CASE MUST FIRST BE ADJUDICATED BY THE COURT PRIOR TO EVIDENCE DISPOSAL.
THIS REQUIRES G-D-G-P-D PERSONNEL TO MONITOR THE CASE'S STATUS ON THE ONLINE COUNTY CASE DATABASE.
SO ONCE A CASE IS ADJUDICATED, THE STAFF THEN PROCESS PROCESSES IT FOR DISPOSITION PROPERTIES PACKAGED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS IN SPECIALLY EQUIPPED PREPARATION AREAS WITHIN EITHER THE PROPERTY AND EVIDENCE FACILITY.
AND IN THE POLICE STATION, DRUGS ARE HEAT SEALED IN A PLASTIC BAG AND ALL PROPERTY IS LABELED.
DRUGS AND FIREARMS THAT ARE NOT YET DESIGNATED FOR DISPOSAL ARE STORED IN THEIR OWN SEPARATE VAULTS WITHIN THE PROPERTY AND EVIDENCE FACILITY.
UM, AT THE TIME OF THE AUDIT, I JUST WANNA NOTE, MOST OF THE DRUGS AND FIREARMS THAT WERE PENDING DESTRUCTION WERE STORED IN THE MAIN PART OF THE VAULT BECAUSE OF THE LIMITED SPACE IN THE INTERNAL VAULTS
UH, ONCE A FIREARM OR DRUG QUALIFIES FOR DISPOSAL, ITS STATUS IN THE INVENTORY TRACKING SYSTEM IS CHANGED TO DISPOSED.
THE DRUG OR FIREARM IS THEN MANUALLY TRACKED OUTSIDE OF THE INVENTORY SYSTEM USING A SPREADSHEET.
UH, THIS LIST IS USED TO TRACK THE PROPERTY THAT WILL BE DISPOSED IN A SINGLE DESTRUCTION EVENT.
SO ONCE THE DESTRUCTION EVENT OCCURS, A NEW SPREADSHEET'S CREATED THAT THEN TRACK, UM, THE NEXT BATCH OF PROPERTY THAT AWAITS DESTRUCTION.
WHEN DRUGS ARE DESIGNATED FOR DISPOSAL, THEY'RE PHYSICALLY MOVED FROM THE DRUG VAULT INVENTORY TO A BOX SPECIFICALLY FOR DRUGS AWAITING DISPOSAL.
AND THEN WHEN FIREARMS ARE DESIGNATED FOR DISPOSAL, THEY'RE MOVED TO, UM,
[00:45:01]
FROM THE FIREARM VAULT TO A BASKET OR A BARREL.SPECIFICALLY FOR FIREARMS AWAITING DISPOSAL.
UH, DESTRUCTION EVENTS REQUIRE MULTIPLE WITNESSES AND A FULL DAY TO COMPLETE DESTRUCTIONS OF EACH DRUGS.
AND FIREARMS OCCUR ABOUT EVERY ONE TO TWO YEARS.
UM, DRUGS MUST REACH A THRESHOLD WEIGHT OF ONE TON TO BE DESTROYED AS REQUIRED BY THE CURRENT WASTE MANAGEMENT COMPANY USED BY GPD.
FIREARMS DON'T HAVE AN ESTABLISHED THRESHOLD, BUT, UM, TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA, FROM THE INFORMATION WE REVIEWED, IT LOOKED LIKE FIREARMS RANGE FROM ABOUT 200 TO 500 PER EVENT.
CURRENTLY, GPD TRANSPORTS DRUGS TO A WASTE MANAGEMENT COMPANY OUTSIDE OF TEXAS WHERE WE PAY FOR THE DESTRUCTION IS THERE LIMITED OPTIONS WITHIN THE STATE.
UM, AND THIS WAS CONSISTENT WITH MOST OF THE CITIES THAT WE SURVEYED.
THE PROPERTY AND EVIDENCE UNIT COORDINATES AT LEAST FOUR WITNESSES TO TRANSPORT AND ATTEND DRUG DESTRUCTIONS, TWO OF WHICH ARE ARMED OFFICERS FIREARMS ARE BROKEN DOWN AND RECYCLED AT A LOCAL METAL RECYCLING COMPANY.
UM, TWO PROPERTY ROOM TECHNICIANS TRANSPORT THE FIREARMS TO THE RECYCLER AND WITNESS THE DESTRUCTION, WHICH REQUIRES A FULL DAY.
UM, AND THERE'S NO COST OF THE CITY.
AND THE RECYCLER RETAINS THE PARTS FROM THE DIS UH, DISMANTLED.
FIREARMS DOCUMENTATION FOR DESTRUCTIONS INCLUDE A MOTION FROM GPD TO THE MUNICIPAL COURT FOR AN ORDER OF DESTRUCTION, AN ORDER OF DESTRUCTION FROM THE COURT, UM, SOME SORT OF PROOF OF CERTIFICATION OF DESTRUCTION BY THE SERVICING COMPANY.
UM, A MEMORANDUM, UM, FROM GPD CONTAINING A LIST OF THE ITEMS DESTROYED WITH WIT, WITNESS SIGNATURES, UM, AND THEN A RETURN FROM THE COURT.
AND THEN A COPY OF THESE ARE KEPT, UM, AT THE PROPERTY AND EVIDENCE UNIT.
I WANNA READ SOME OF THE MANAGEMENT ACCOMPLISHMENTS THAT CHIEF BRIAN WROTE IN HERE.
'CAUSE I I DO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT.
UM, SO, UH, THEY POINT OUT THAT THE TASK OF MANAGING THE PROPERTY ROOM IS A CHALLENGING ONE AS IT INVOLVES DEALING WITH TENS OF THOUSANDS OF ITEMS A YEAR, HANDLING EVIDENCE, PREPARING FOR COURT CASES, AND ENSURING PROPER DOCUMENTATION.
UH, GPD IS INVOLVED IN A MASSIVE PROPERTY TRANSFER FROM THE OLD PROPERTY ROOM TO THE NEW ONE, WHICH REQUIRES THE RELOCATION OF AROUND A HUNDRED THOUSAND ITEMS. IN ADDITION, GPD HAS BEEN IN THE PROCESS OF SWITCHING FROM AN OUTDATED MANUAL SYSTEM WITH ARCHAIC DATABASES TO A CUTTING EDGE MODERN SYSTEM CONDUCTING AN AUDIT, WHICH INCLUDES AUDITING THE OLDER ANTIQUATED SYSTEM WHILE IN THE MIDST OF TRANSITIONING TO A NEW STATE OF THE ART SYSTEM AS CHALLENGING.
SO BEFORE I GET INTO THE OPPORTUNITIES OF IMPROVEMENT, DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? OKAY.
SO JUST A REMINDER, THE FOLLOWING FINDINGS ARE SPECIFIC TO THE DRUG AND FIREARM ITEMS THAT WERE ALREADY DESIGNATED FOR DESTRUCTION.
WE DID NOT LOOK INTO ITEMS TIED TO ACTIVE LEGAL CASES.
SO WE PERFORMED THREE DIFFERENT TESTS TO VERIFY THE ACCOUNTABILITY OF DRUGS AND FIREARMS, BOTH DESTROYED AND PENDING DESTRUCTION.
IN THE FIRST TEST, WE COMPARED THE INFORMATION RETAINED IN THE INVENTORY TRACKING SYSTEM TO THE INFORMATION MANUALLY DOCUMENTED ON EXTERNAL SPREADSHEETS.
THE REASON FOR THIS IS BECAUSE THE INVENTORY SYSTEM CAN'T TELL US WHETHER PROPERTY IS PHYSICALLY DESTROYED OR AWAITING DESTRUCTION OR IT'S NOT BEING USED IN THAT WAY.
UM, SO WE HAD TO USE THE MANUAL SPREADSHEETS TO DETERMINE WHEN PROPERTY WAS DESTROYED OR IF PROPERTY IS STILL PHYSICALLY STORED AT THE PROPERTY AND EVIDENCE FACILITY.
UM, WE WORKED WITH THE PROPERTY AND EVIDENCE SUPERVISOR TO RESEARCH ANY DISCREPANCIES THAT WE HAD, UM, NOT BEING THE EXPERTS WE COULDN'T IMMEDIATELY RESOLVE.
SO SHELLY WAS VERY TRANSPARENT, HELPED US IDENTIFY WHICH ITEMS WERE AUTHORIZED FOR RELEASE.
UM, SHE PRI PROVIDED DOCUMENTATION AND HELPED US IDENTIFY, UM, AND EXPLAINED DATA THAT DIDN'T QUITE MATCH UP WHEN WE USED OUR DATA ANALYSIS SOFTWARE.
UM, GIVEN GBDS DATA MIGRATION FROM THE OLDER INVENTORY SYSTEM TO THE NEW ONE, DATA MISMATCHING WAS SORT OF EXPECTED.
SO WE JUDGMENTALLY SELECTED 91 SAMPLES FROM A POPULATION OF ABOUT 7,500 ITEMS THAT DIDN'T INITIALLY APPEAR TO MATCH BETWEEN THE SYSTEM AND THE MANUAL SPREADSHEETS.
UM, AND WE FOUND THAT THE STATUSES AND LOCATIONS OF TWO NARCOTICS COULDN'T BE CONFIRMED, UM, ONE OF WHICH WAS 91.6 NET GRAMS. UM, 718.9 NET GRAMS OF A NARCOTIC WAS RELEASED TO A FEDERAL AGENCY, BUT RELEASED DOCUMENTATION WITH THE RECEIVER'S SIGNATURE COULDN'T BE LOCATED.
[00:50:01]
UM, THE SYSTEM, HOWEVER, DID HAVE THE RELEASE INFORMATION RECORDED AND THEN ONE FIREARM STATUS OR LOCATION COULDN'T BE CONFIRMED.AND THE SECOND TEST TO VERIFY THE ACCURACY AND COMPLETENESS OF THE PHYSICAL INVENTORY, WE COMPARED THE PENDING DESTRUCTION SPREADSHEET TO THE PHYSICAL INVENTORY AWAITING DESTRUCTION AND VICE VERSA.
WE RANDOMLY AND JUDGMENTALLY SELECTED 150 SAMPLES FROM A POPULATION OF ABOUT 1300 ITEMS AND COMPARED THEM BETWEEN THE PENDING DESTRUCTION LIST AND THE PHYSICAL INVENTORY, UM, WE FOUND THAT ONE SMALL PACKAGE OF A NARCOTIC COULDN'T BE LOCATED.
UH, ONE NARCOTIC SUBSTANCE SAMPLED FROM THE PHYSICAL INVENTORY WASN'T LISTED IN THE DESTRUCTION SPREADSHEET OR GIVEN A DISPOSED STATUS IN THE INVENTORY SYSTEM.
UH, ONE LOOSE AND UNLABELED BAGGIE NARCOTIC WAS FOUND OUTSIDE OF ITS STANDARD PACKAGING, WHICH WAS DETERMINED TO BE DUE TO A FAULTY SEAL.
TWO FIREARMS COULDN'T INITIALLY BE LOCATED IN THE PHYSICAL INVENTORY BECAUSE AN INCORRECT CASE NUMBER WAS LISTED FOR THOSE ITEMS IN THE DESTRUCTION LIST.
ONE FIREARM FOUND IN THE PHYSICAL INVENTORY WAS NOT LISTED ON THE DESTRUCTION SPREADSHEET.
AND FOUR FIREARMS FOUND IN THE PHYSICAL INVENTORY, UH, WITHOUT LABELS WERE NOT INCLUDED IN THE PENDING DESTRUCTION LIST, NOR WERE THEY ENROLLED IN THE INVENTORY TRACKING SYSTEM.
UM, BUT JUST TO NOTE, THESE GUNS WERE NEVER CONSIDERED AS EVIDENCE.
THEY WERE VOLUNTARILY SUBMITTED BY A CITIZEN FOR DESTRUCTION.
FOR THE THIRD TEST WE WANTED TO VERIFY THE COMPLETE DISPOSITION OF ALL DRUGS AND FIREARMS LISTED WITHIN INDIVIDUAL CASES.
UH, CASES CAN HAVE MULTIPLE EVIDENCE ITEMS. SO OUR THOUGHT WAS THAT IF A CASE WAS ADJUDICATED, ALL OF THE ITEMS, UM, SHOULD BE DISPOSED, PURGED, REMOVED FROM THE PHYSICAL INVENTORY SINCE THERE'S NO REASON TO HANG ONTO IT.
UM, SO WE COMPARED THE NUMBER OF DRUG AND FIREARM ITEMS PER CASE BETWEEN THE INVENTORY SYSTEM AND THE MANUAL, UH, DESTRUCTION LISTS.
AND THEN WE SAMPLED THE CASES WITH THE GREATEST DISCREPANCIES.
SO OF THE 30 CASES SAMPLED, WE FOUND THAT THREE NARCOTICS WERE INCORRECTLY CATEGORIZED AS GENERAL PROPERTY INSTEAD OF DRUG IN THE SYSTEM.
UM, SAME THING INSTEAD OF GUN, AND THEN FOUR FIREARMS WERE NOT INCLUDED IN THE DESTRUCTION LISTS.
UM, WE DETERMINED THE FOLLOWING CAUSES, UM, TO HAVE LED TO TRACKING ERRORS.
UM, AND OUR RECOMMENDATIONS ARE BASED ON THE CRITERIA LISTED IN THE REPORT, UM, WHICH INCLUDES GPD POLICY, PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATION STANDARDS, AND STATE LAW.
UH, SO FIRST PERIODIC INVENTORIES OR AUDITS AREN'T BEING CONSISTENTLY CONDUCTED IN ALIGNMENT WITH GPD POLICIES AND PROCEDURES AND BEST BUSINESS PRACTICES.
SO, UH, WE RECOMMEND IMPLEMENTING PERIODIC INVENTORIES AND AUDITS, UM, UH, IN COMPLIANCE WITH THEIR POLICIES AND PROCEDURES AND BUSINESS PRACTICES.
DRUGS OR FIREARMS MAY HAVE BEEN ACCEPTED BY THE PROPERTY AND EVIDENCE UNIT WITHOUT INSPECTING PACKAGING OR LABELING, OR WERE NOT CORRECTED ONCE IDENTIFIED.
SO WE RECOMMEND IMPLEMENTING PACKAGE AND LABEL, UH, INSPECTIONS AND CORRECTIVE ACTIONS WITHIN THE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES.
ADEQUATE DOCUMENTATION WAS NOT OBTAINED BEFORE LEASING PROPERTY TO ANOTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY.
SO WE RECOMMEND INCLUDING AND IMPLEMENTING DOCUMENTATION REQUIREMENTS FOR AUTHORIZED RELEASE OF DRUGS WITHIN THE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES.
INVENTORY PENDING DESTRUCTION IS MANUALLY TRACKED INSTEAD OF UTILIZING THE SYSTEM TO ITS FULL CAPABILITIES.
SO WE RECOMMEND CONFIGURING AND UTILIZING THE SYSTEM TO TRACK SEPARATE INVENTORY CATEGORIES, STATUSES SUCH AS PENDING DISPOSAL, ELIGIBLE FOR RELEASE, AND ALSO STANDARDIZE THE DATA INPUT.
AND THEN A STANDARD PROCESS IS NOT ESTABLISHED IN POLICIES AND PROCEDURES.
DETAILING STEPS REQUIRED WHEN TRANSITIONING DRUGS AND FIREARMS TO INVENTORY PENDING DESTRUCTION.
SO WE RECOMMEND STANDARDIZING, IMPLEMENTING, UM, A STANDARDIZED METHOD OF DESIGNATING AND STORING DRUGS AND FIREARMS PENDING DESTRUCTION WITHIN THE POLICIES MANAGEMENT CONCURS AND PROVIDES THE FOLLOWING ACTION PLAN.
A POLICE DEPARTMENT'S PROPERTY ROOM SUFFERED FROM SEVERE SPATIAL LIMITATIONS BEFORE AUGUST, 2022.
DUE TO THE SHORTAGE OF OF SPACE, THE STAFF HAD TO RESORT TO STACKING BOXES ON TOP OF ONE ANOTHER, WHICH CREATED SIGNIFICANT HURDLES IN CONDUCTING PROPER AUDITS.
THE STORAGE AREAS FOR NARCOTICS AND FIREARMS MADE IT CHALLENGING FOR THE STAFF TO PERFORM THEIR DUTIES ACCURATELY.
HOWEVER, THE CITY COUNCIL AND PUBLIC SHOWED GREAT GENEROSITY BY APPROVING FUNDING TO BUILD A NEW PROPERTY ROOM AND ADDRESS THESE ISSUES.
THE POLICE DEPARTMENT'S CURRENTLY ENGAGED IN THE PROCESS OF REVISING ALL OF ITS POLICIES AND PROCEDURES.
IN 2023, THE DEPARTMENT ENLISTED THE ASSISTANCE OF A THIRD PARTY VENDOR TO HELP WITH THE POLICY WRITING AS PART AS, AS PART OF THE EFFORT TO PURSUE ACCREDITATION.
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THE DEPARTMENT IS SCHEDULED TO IMPLEMENT ITS UPDATED PROPERTY AND AUDIT PROCEDURES, WHICH INCORPORATE MORE RIGOROUS STANDARDS PRESCRIBED BY THE TEXAS POLICE CHIEF'S ACCREDITATION CRITERIA.IN ADDITION TO THE NEW PROPERTY ROOM, THE FACILITY IS NOW EQUIPPED WITH AN ADVANCED BARCODE INVENTORY SYSTEM, WHICH IS FAR MORE EFFECTIVE THAN THE PREVIOUS MANUAL CONTROL SYSTEM.
EVIDENCE IS BOTH TAGGED AND BARCODED WHEN PROPERTY IS SUBMITTED BY AN OFFICER AND BARCODES ARE BEING SYSTEMATICALLY ADDED TO OLDER EVIDENCE.
APPROXIMATELY A HUNDRED THOUSAND PIECES OF PROPERTY WERE RECENTLY RELOCATED BY THE PROPERTY ROOM AND THEY'RE PRESENTLY BEING REGISTERED INTO THE NEW SYSTEM.
THE POLICE DEPARTMENT'S ACTIVELY RECRUITING IT EXPERTS TO FACILITATE VARIOUS AUTOMATION PROCESSES, INCLUDING THE OPTIMIZATION OF A NEW INVENTORY SYSTEM.
THE RECOMMENDATIONS PUT FORTH BY I A ARE APPRECIATED BY GPD.
HOWEVER, IT'S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT UNLOCKING THE FULL POTENTIAL OF THE BRAND NEW SYSTEM WILL TAKE TIME AND REQUIRE THE ASSISTANCE OF SKILLED IT PROFESSIONALS.
UM, SO THIS PROCESS IS ONGOING.
YOU'VE HEARD THE PRESENTATION.
OH, JUST THE FIRST PIECE OF IT.
RIGHT? THERE'S QUITE A BIT OF INFORMATION THAT'S GONE BEFORE US.
ANY QUESTIONS? COMMENTS? THAT IS A LOT OF DRUGS AND GUNS THAT THEY HAVE TO PROCESS'S.
I THINK THIS, UH, IT'S PROBABLY AN AREA THAT, UH, AS WE GO FORWARD, WE'LL, PROBABLY LOOKING AT IT'S, YOU SAID IT'S ONGOING.
I THINK THAT THAT'S PROBABLY GOING TO BE THE, THE THOUGHT OF WHAT THAT ONGOING REALLY ENCOMPASSES IN THE WAY OF TIME.
SO, UH, AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED AT THIS POINT, UH, YOU'RE RIGHT, THE INFORMATION IS ALREADY OVERWHELMING, BUT, UM, YOU, YOU MAY PROCEED.
OUR SECOND OPPORTUNITY FOR IMPROVEMENT IS REGARDING PROCESS EFFICIENCY AND DATA SECURITY.
SO WE REVIEWED SEVERAL PROCESSES FOR EFFICIENCY AND IDENTIFIED TWO AREAS THAT COULD BENEFIT FROM AN EVALUATION AND RESTRUCTURING.
UM, THE FIRST AREA IS THE PROCESS OF IDENTIFYING ADJUDICATED CASES.
SO A CASE MUST FIRST BE ADJUDICATED BEFORE EVIDENCE CAN BE DESIGNATED FOR DISPOSITION.
UH, THE CURRENT PRACTICE REQUIRES PROPERTY AND EVIDENCE TECHNICIANS TO MONITOR CASES, UM, IN THE ONLINE COUNTY COURT DATABASE BY PERFORMING INDIVIDUAL SEARCHES, UH, FOR EACH CASE.
UM, WE INTERVIEWED VARIOUS, UH, GPD STAFF AND IT, IT SOUNDED LIKE GP D'S CAPABLE OF GENERATING A CONSOLIDATED REPORT THAT IDENTIFIES A LIST OF ADJUDICATED CASES WITHIN A TIME PERIOD.
UM, BUT WE WEREN'T ABLE TO VERIFY THIS CAPABILITY AND IT, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE IT WOULD BE USEFUL IN TIME SAVING FOR THE TECHNICIANS.
IMPROVEMENTS IN THIS PROCESS COULD INCREASE EFFICIENCY AND MANPOWER AND MAXIMIZE AVAILABLE STORAGE SPACE AT SCALE.
OVER TIME, UH, THE FASTER WE CAN PURGE USELESS INVENTORY, THE MORE SPACE WE CAN FREE UP FOR ACTIVE CASE EVIDENCE.
UH, THESE GRAPHS DEPICT THE AGE OF DRUGS AND FIREARMS DESIGNATED FOR DISPOSITION WITHIN THE SCOPE OF THIS AUDIT.
UM, SO THIS IS NOT REPRESENTATIVE OF ALL THE INVENTORY WITHIN THE PROPERTY AND EVIDENCE FACILITY.
UM, AS YOU CAN SEE, THE DRUG AND FIREARM POPULATIONS ARE DIVIDED INTO AGE GROUPS.
THESE AGE GROUPS ARE BASED ON THE TIME THAT ELAPSED BETWEEN WHEN AN ITEM WAS ENROLLED IN THE INVENTORY TRACKING SYSTEM AND WHEN THE ITEM'S STATUS WAS CHANGED TO DISPOSED IN THE SYSTEM.
UM, A DISPOSED STATUS DOESN'T INDICATE AN ITEM'S PHYSICAL DESTRUCTION.
ACTUAL DESTRUCTION CAN TAKE OVER A YEAR TO CONCUR AFTER PROPERTY IS GIVEN A DISPOSED STATUS BECAUSE THE INVENTORY NEEDS TO BUILD UP BEFORE IT'S WORTH COORDINATING THE LOGISTICS FOR A DESTRUCTION EVENT.
UM, WHILE SOME DRUG AND FIREARMS REQUIRE RETENTION FOR MONTHS OR YEARS, DEPENDING ON, UH, VARIOUS FACTORS, PROCESS IMPROVEMENTS WILL EXPEDITE THE DISPOSITION OF ELIGIBLE PROPERTY.
THE SECOND AREA, UM, THAT MAY NEED EVALUATION FOR EFFICIENCY IS THE MANUAL TRACKING OF DRUGS AND FIREARMS AWAITING DESTRUCTION.
UH, CURRENTLY WHEN AN ITEM IS DEEMED ELIGIBLE FOR DESTRUCTION, ITS STATUS IS CHANGED TO DISPOSED IN THE SYSTEM AND THEN IS, IS THEN MANUALLY ADDED TO AN EXTERNAL RUNNING LIST OF ITEMS PENDING DESTRUCTION.
THE INVENTORY TRACKING SYSTEM'S CAPABLE OF TRACKING CRITICAL LIFECYCLE CATEGORIES SUCH AS PENDING DISPOSAL, ELIGIBLE FOR RELEASE RELEASE, BUT IT JUST ISN'T USED IN THAT WAY.
RIGHT NOW, THE MANUAL LIST METHOD DOESN'T HAVE ADEQUATE SECURITY TO PREVENT OR LIMIT UNAUTHORIZED OR ACCIDENTAL CHANGES.
THEY'RE CURRENTLY ACCESSIBLE BY AT LEAST ALL PROPERTY AND EVIDENCE STAFF.
AND THE SPREADSHEETS AREN'T CAPABLE OF TRACKING USER EDITS, DELETIONS, OR ADDITIONS OF DATA.
WE BELIEVE THAT POSSIBLY THE UTILITY AND RELIABILITY
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OF THE CONSOLIDATED CASE STATUS REPORT HASN'T BEEN SUFFICIENTLY COMMUNICATED TO THE PROPERTY AND EVIDENCE UNIT, UM, AND THAT THE FUNCTIONALITY OF THE INVENTORY TRACKING SYSTEM HASN'T BEEN FULLY EXPLORED TO TRACK THE VARIOUS PHASES OF INVENTORY LIFECYCLE.SO WE RECOMMEND, UM, EVALUATING AND RESTRUCTURING, UH, THE CURRENT PROCESS OF IDENTIFYING CASE ADJUDICATION TO STREAMLINE AND INTEGRATE CURRENT REPORTING CAPABILITIES AND UPDATE THE PROCESS WITHIN GPD POLICIES AND PROCEDURES AND STANDARDIZE DATA ENTRY AND UTILIZE THE SYSTEM TO TRACK ACTUAL PROPERTY STATUS SUCH AS PENDING DISPOSAL, ELIGIBLE DISPOSED RELEASED.
SO MANAGEMENT CONCURS AND GIVES THE FOLLOWING ACTION PLAN.
THE PROPERTY ROOM'S MAIN OBJECTIVE IS TO UPHOLD THE CREDIBILITY OF EVIDENCE WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY ENSURING THE PROPER INVENTORY AND STORAGE OF ALL PROPERTY AND EVIDENCE.
THE SPEEDY DISPOSAL OF EVIDENCE IS NOT A HIGH PRIORITY AND DOES NOT AFFECT THE PRIMARY OBJECTIVE.
WHILE THE POLICE DEPARTMENT ACKNOWLEDGES THE USEFULNESS OF A MORE AUTOMATED PROCESS TO IDENTIFY CASE ADJUDICATION, THE PREVIOUSLY BUILT AUTOMATED INTERFACE WAS RENDERED NON-FUNCTIONAL WHEN THE COUNTY COURTS CHANGED THEIR RECORDS SYSTEM LAST YEAR.
THE REPAIR OF THIS INTERFACE IS DEPENDENT ON THE SYSTEM, AND GPD DOES NOT HAVE THE CAPABILITIES TO GENERATE A CONSOLIDATED REPORT.
CURRENTLY, THE DESTRUCTION OF DRUGS POSES ADDITIONAL LOGISTICAL OBSTACLES REQUIRING PERSONNEL TO TRAVEL THREE HOURS TO ANOTHER STATE WITH A MINIMUM PER VENDOR REQUIREMENTS OF AT LEAST ONE TON OF DRUGS PER DESTRUCTION.
OTHER PROPERTIES SUCH AS GUNS, IS TYPICALLY OUTSOURCED FOR DESTRUCTION AND IS EASIER TO MANAGE IN BULK TO MINIMIZE MULTIPLE TRIPS.
THE PD ACKNOWLEDGES THE POTENTIAL BENEFITS OF EFFECTIVELY IMPLEMENTING THE NEW INVENTORY SYSTEM TO FACILITATE THE PROPERTY DESTRUCTION PROCESS, WHICH IS CURRENTLY UNDERWAY AS STAFF FAMILIARIZES THEMSELVES WITH THE SYSTEM.
I HEAR THAT YOU GOOD? YES, SIR.
I I, I'VE HEARD BASED ON WHAT I'VE HEARD SO FAR, THIS IS A SITUATION OF WHERE WE'RE MOVING FROM ONE AREA TO ANOTHER, AND THE PROCESSES ARE SUCH THAT AS YOU WENT THROUGH AND TALKED ABOUT, YOU HAD COLLECTED SAMPLES, AND IN THOSE SAMPLES YOU IDENTIFIED THERE WERE SOME AREAS THAT YOU WERE NOT ABLE TO CATEGORIZE, UH, RECEIVE PROPER CATEGORIZATION OR IF THE PROPERTY HAD BEEN DISPOSED OF OR, AND SO ON AND SO FORTH.
AND I THINK THAT THOSE ARE AREAS THAT, ESPECIALLY AS IT COMES TO RULES OF EVIDENCE AND PROCEDURES AND HOW IT'S, UH, TRANSFERRED, ONE TO THE OTHER, THESE ARE THINGS PROBABLY THAT WHOEVER IT IS THAT WE ARE CONTRACTING PRESENTLY TO COME IN AND ASSIST THEM, THEY'RE GONNA NEED A LOT OF ASSISTANCE THERE IN PUTTING IN THE PROPER PROTOCOLS TO ASSURE THAT, UH, THE EVIDENCE IS THERE, THAT IT'S BEING DISPOSED OF PROPERLY.
AND, UH, I HEAR YOU SAYING THAT, UH, IF IT'S BEEN ADJUDICATED OR NOT, WELL, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT SO CONCERNED ABOUT THAT PIECE BECAUSE THAT'S SOMETHING WITH THE COURTS.
I GUESS MY CONCERN BECOMES THEN HOW THE EVIDENCE, HOW WE'RE ABLE TO ACCOUNT, TRULY ACCOUNT FOR THE EVIDENCE, FOR THE DRUGS AND SO ON AND SO FORTH, BECAUSE OTHERWISE, UH, AND I DON'T SEE THAT FOR HAPPENING, FOR SE, BUT OTHERWISE THEY GET BACK TO THE STREETS OR THEY GET INTO THE WRONG HANDS OR, OR THE CASE MAY BE.
SO IT SOUNDS LIKE WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO, AND, UH, YOU CAN SPEAK TO THAT.
WHAT DO YOU, RIGHT NOW, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT YOU FEEL THAT YOU HAVE AS AN AUDITOR IN REALLY AUDITING A PLACE LIKE A PROPERTY ROOM, SUCH AS WHAT'S HAPPENING PRESENTLY? UM, UM, I, IT SEEMS LIKE THEY'RE STILL GETTING ORGANIZED IN THE NEW FACILITY.
SO IT, IT WAS A LITTLE DIFFICULT, UM, IN SOME AREAS TO AUDIT.
SO AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, I THINK IN THE, IN THE FIRST, UM, FINDING THERE, WE HAD TO COMPARE THE MANUAL SPREADSHEETS TO THE SYSTEM BECAUSE NOT ALL THE INFORMATION IN THE SYSTEM TELLS YOU WHERE SOMETHING IS, IF IT'S DESTROYED OR NOT ACTUALLY DESTROYED, RIGHT.
THE MANUAL SHEETS ARE WHAT YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT.
AND THEN THERE'S HIS DIFFERENT ITERATIONS OF THOSE MANUAL SHEETS.
SO EVERY HISTORICAL DRUG EVENT HAS ITS OR DESTRUCTION EVENT HAS ITS OWN SPREADSHEET.
SO, UM, IN THAT WAY IT IS DIFFICULT TO AUDIT.
UM, BUT IF THEY ARE PURSUING AN ACCREDITATION FROM, UM, YOU KNOW, A PROFESSIONAL YES, POLICE ASSOCIATION, UM, I THINK THAT WILL HELP A LOT.
I'M NOT AN EXPERT IN THIS FIELD, BUT, UM, AS AN AUDITOR IT WAS, IT WAS A LITTLE DIFFICULT TO GO THROUGH.
IT'S ALSO SOUNDING LIKE SHELLY, IS THAT HER NAME? SHELLY.
SHELLY HAS HER HANDS FULL IN THE WAY OF STAFFING SOMETHING.
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LIKE A MAJOR ENTERPRISE TAKING PLACE THERE.AND HOW MANY EMPLOYEES ARE WE TALKING ABOUT HERE? UH, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU START TALKING ABOUT MANUAL, YOU HAVE SIX EMPLOYEES, RIGHT, SHELLY? YEAH, THERE'S SIX IN ME.
AND A MAJORITY OF WHAT YOU DEAL WITH IS THE AUTO POUND, RIGHT? CORRECT.
THE AUTO POUND TAKES AT LEAST TWO
UM, MISS, MAY I, OH, GO AHEAD.
IF YOU WANNA ADDRESS THAT BEFORE I ASK MY QUESTION.
NO, I, I JUST WANTED TO SAY, I MEAN, UM, THEY JUST MOVED THERE YEAR AND A HALF AGO.
AND THEY JUST HAVE A NEW SYSTEM, AND SO THEY'RE GOING THROUGH THE BAR CODINGS, UM, PROCESS.
AND, UM, SO CONSIDERING ALL OF THAT, UH, AND I THINK IF YOU WOULD GIVE THEM TIME, UM, WITH SOME ADDITIONAL HELP, OF COURSE, RESOURCES ARE LIMITED.
UM, I THINK WE'LL BE IN A MUCH BETTER POSITION.
HE'S ALREADY REACHING OUT TO THIRD PARTIES TO COME IN AND HELP AND LOOK AT ALL THEIR POLICIES.
UM, I'VE BEEN, I'VE BEEN TO THE OLD, UM, EVIDENCE ROOM, UH, AS SOON AS I GOT THERE.
I'M BEING HONEST, I'M JUST LISTENING AND I WANNA LEAVE
KUDOS TO SHELLY AND HER STAFF.
I'M NOT SURE HOW LONG THEY WORKED IN THERE FOR THIS LONG, AND I'M SURE SOME OF US WHO ARE SITTING HERE CAN TESTIFY THAT IT WAS, IT WAS NOT A, UH, PLACE, GOOD PLACE TO WORK FOR THANKS TO, AS, AS CHIEF MENTIONED IN HERE, THANKS TO COUNCIL AND AND PUBLIC FOR APPROVING THAT NEW EVIDENCE ROOM.
SO I FEEL VERY GOOD ABOUT WHERE THEY'RE LEADING, UM, IN THE NEAR FUTURE, ACTUALLY.
SO JUST WANTED TO SAY THOSE COMMENTS.
AND, AND THE REASON FOR MY COMMENTS TOO IS THAT, UH, THERE IS NO DOUBT, UH, THEY'RE DOING PROBABLY THE VERY BEST THAT THEY POSSIBLY CAN.
AT THE SAME TIME, THIS IS A VERY CRITICAL AREA.
VERY CRITICAL AREA, AND WE'LL BEGIN TO TALK ABOUT EVIDENCE, PROPERTY AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
SO, UH, I WANT TO BE ON THE RECORD THAT IT IS A REAL CONCERN FOR ME.
COUNCILMAN WILLIAMS? THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.
UH, I MAY BE DATING MYSELF IF I SAID, SAID THIS, UH, JED, LET THE CAT OUTTA THE BAG.
UH, I HAVE THE FORTUNATE, UNFORTUNATE EXPERIENCE.
I TOOK A GLIMPSE AT THE OLD PROPERTY ROOM TOO, WHILE BACK, AND IT'S NOT A QUOTE, IDEAL PLACE TO WORK.
SO I COME IN SHELLY AND HER TEAM.
WELL, MY, MY, MY QUESTION OR THOUGHT QUESTION IS, AND, AND I DO THINK THAT MOVING TO THE NUKE FACILITY, UH, THAT TAKES A WHILE, AND I THINK THAT'S A HUGE STEP.
SO I'M NOT, I'M NOT ALARMED WITH YOUR REPORT AT ALL.
UH, I KNOW HOW HARD THOSE FOLKS WORK WITH LIVING STAFF.
MY QUESTION IS CITY MANAGER, AND YOU MENTIONED A COUPLE OF TIMES ABOUT STAFFING.
SO A CITY MANAGER, WE HAVE A STRATEGY FROM THIS SPECIFIC AREA BECAUSE IT TAKES CERTAIN SKILLS, JUST, YOU CAN'T JUST DROP ANYBODY IN THERE TO AND DO WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.
YOUR THOUGHTS ON, ON MOVING FORWARD AS FAR AS LOOKING AT STAFFING NEEDS FOR THIS AREA SO THAT, UH, THAT WON'T SOLVE THE PROBLEM.
BUT THAT'S A BIG ISSUE WHEN IT COMES TO, BECAUSE THIS IS A SPECIALTY.
JUST ANYBODY CAN'T JOIN SHELLY AND START DOING THIS STUFF.
IT'S, SO ANY THOUGHTS MR. CITY MANAGER GOING FORWARD ON, ON WORKING WITH, UH, CHIEF BRIAN AND COME UP COMING UP WITH A AND, AND SHELLY AND, AND THE TEAM OVER THERE COMING UP WITH THE APPROPRIATE STAFFING MODEL THAT WILL HELP HELP GET, GET THEM WHERE WE THINK THEY NEED TO BE.
COUNCILMAN WILLIAMS. THE, SO IN MY CONVERSATIONS WITH CHIEF BRIAN, OF COURSE, WE'RE GETTING, WE JUST STARTED OUR ANNUAL OPERATING BUDGET PROCESS, WHICH GIVES, UH, DEPARTMENT HEADS AND DIRECTORS AN OPPORTUNITY TO REQUEST ADDITIONAL STAFF.
AND SO I KNOW SOME OF THOSE CONVERSATIONS ARE ALREADY GOING ON, UM, SPECIFIC TO THE PROPERTY AND EVIDENCE ROOM.
UM, NOT THAT THIS IS A, A, A GREAT COMPARISON, BUT IF YOU RECALL WHEN WE OPENED THE, THE ANIMAL SHELTER, THE, THE FACILITY WAS SO MUCH BIGGER THAN WHAT WE HAD BEFORE.
AND WE, WE DIDN'T IMMEDIATELY ADD ANY NEW POSITIONS BECAUSE WE REALLY JUST NEEDED TO SEE HOW IT WAS GOING TO FUNCTION.
WE WENT BACK IN, ADDED SOME ADDITIONAL STAFF AND UNDERSTOOD THE CAPACITY, HOW THE, HOW THE OPERATIONS FLOW DIFFERENTLY AT THE NEW FACILITY.
VERY SIMILAR CASE, I THINK THAT WE'RE IN HERE, THAT WE HAVE A, WE HAVE A MUCH LARGER, NICER FACILITY THAT WE NEED.
UM, AND WE'RE GETTING A SENSE FOR WHAT SOME OF THE CHALLENGES ARE AND WHAT SOME
[01:10:01]
OF THE OPERATIONS ARE GONNA LOOK LIKE MOVING FORWARD.AND SO, UH, CHIEF I KNOW IS WORKING WITH HIS TEAM TO COME UP WITH A, WITH A PLAN TO, UH, LOOK AT SOME ADDITIONAL POSITIONS.
AND I'M, I'M SURE COUNCIL'S GONNA SEE THAT THROUGH THE BUDGETING PROCESS THIS YEAR.
WELL, I'M CERTAINLY LOOKING FORWARD TO THE OPPORTUNITY TO, TO LOOK AT WHAT PLANS AND OPTIONS THAT THEY COME UP WITH, BECAUSE THAT'S, THAT'S GONNA BE CRITICAL LONG TERM TO GETTING THIS NEW, NEW FUNCTION.
'CAUSE IT'S LIKE MOVING OUT OF THE, LIKE I SAID, UH, I HAD THE EXPERIENCE OF BEING IN THE, THE OLD PLACE, AND IT'S LIKE COMING OUT OF THE CAVE AND, AND CLIMBING ON A JET.
IT'S, IT'S, UH, I DON'T NEED AN MAN, SOMEBODY, I THOUGHT I HEARD SOMEBODY SAY, OH, OVER THERE
BUT, BUT IT IS THAT, IT IS THAT KIND OF TRANSITION.
SO, SO, UH, I LOOK FORWARD TO MY CITY MANAGER TO LOOKING AT THE REQUEST THAT WE GET OUT OF THERE AND IF, IF IT'S FISCALLY POSSIBLE THAT WE ADDRESS THOSE NEEDS TO HELP F GET TO WHERE THIS AUDIT TEAM AND OTHERS THINK WE SHOULD BE.
BUT I DO BELIEVE IT'S GONNA BE A LONG HAUL THAT THERE NO, THERE NO MAGIC WANDS AND NO CIVIL BULLETS.
IT'S GONNA TAKE JUST LIKE THE ANIMAL YOU MENTIONED, THE ANIMAL SHELTER, THE EXPERIENCE WE HAD THERE.
SO BOTH OF THOSE ARE LONG-TERM, BUT, BUT I'M, I'M, I'M EAGER TO SEE, UH, WHAT'S GONNA COME OUTTA THIS AS FAR AS STAFFING NEEDS.
'CAUSE I THINK THAT THAT WILL GO A LONG WAY TO PROVIDING THE RESOURCES THAT ARE NEEDED OVER THERE TO GET TO WHERE WE WANT TO GO AND MAKE THAT TRANSITION FROM THE OLD TO THE NEW.
COUNCILMAN? UM, WELL, MY COMMENTS IS THAT, I MEAN, THIS IS A PERFECT TIME TO BE DOING THIS AUDIT BECAUSE, UH, WE ARE ABLE TO, WE HAVE THE FACILITY, IT'S A YEAR AND A HALF INTO MOVING INTO IT.
YOU'RE SEEING WHAT THE NEEDS ARE SO THAT THEY CAN STAFF ACCORDINGLY AND MAKE, UH, PUT THE, UM, THE IT ASSETS IN PLACE TO BE ABLE TO MANAGE THIS THE WAY THAT IT NEEDS TO BE DONE.
SO I'M JUST, UH, I LOOK FORWARD TO HOW THE FINAL RESULTS WILL BE FOUND IN A YEAR.
SO I KNOW THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING AND IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE THERE'S ANYTHING REALLY GROSSLY OUT OF THE ORDINARY.
IT'S JUST THAT WE NEED TO FIND A WAY TO MANAGE A LITTLE BIT OF THE CHAOS A LITTLE BIT BETTER.
I'M THINKING ALSO THE ACCREDITATION PROCESS IS CERTAINLY GOING TO HELP IN THE PROCESS OF BRINGING THINGS INTO, UH, INTO UNIT 10 MATTER BY WHICH THEY SHOULD BE.
WITH THAT, UH, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ANY OTHER COMMENTS, CHAIRMAN? YEP.
YEAH, IT'S, WE'RE NOT QUITE DONE WITH THIS REPORT.
IF, IF YOU MAY ALLOW ERIN TO
I THOUGHT SHE SAID THE NEXT ONES WILL BE QUICK.
I THOUGHT SHE WAS FINISHED THOUGH.
I, I'M GETTING READY TO GIVE SHELLY SOME ACCOLADES.
UM, SO OUR SEC, OUR, THIS IS OUR THIRD, OUR THIRD OPPORTUNITY OF IMPROVEMENT, UH, PERTAINS TO THE DE UH, DESTRUCTION PROCESS AND DOCUMENTATION.
SO WE REVIEWED, UH, THE DOCUMENTATION FOR ALL SIX DRUG AND FIREARM DESTRUCTIONS THAT OCCURRED SINCE 2014.
AND BASED ON GP D'S HISTORICAL DOCUMENTATION PRACTICES AND POLICY, WE IDENTIFIED THE FOLLOWING DEFICIENCIES.
THREE WITNESS FORMS FOR DRUG DESTRUCTIONS COULDN'T BE LOCATED AND THE DRUG DESTRUCTIONS WERE NOT VIDEO RECORDED FOR FIREARM DESTRUCTIONS ONE MOTION, ONE COURT ORDER FOUR, WITNESS FORMS, THREE VERIFICATIONS OF DESTRUCTION AND TWO RETURNS COULD NOT BE LOCATED.
UM, THE WITNESS OF ONE FIREARM DESTRUCTION DIDN'T INCLUDE AN ARMED UNIFORMED OFFICER.
AND ACCORDING TO INTERVIEWS, FIREARM DESTRUCTIONS ARE ONLY BEING PARTIALLY RECORDED BUT ARE NOT RETAINED.
SO WE BELIEVE THESE DEFICIENCIES ARE MAINLY DUE TO INSUFFICIENT DOCUMENTATION REQUIREMENTS IN THE GPD POLICIES AND PROCEDURES AND LACK OF MANAGERIAL VERIFICATION.
SO OUR RECOMMENDATION IS FOR MANAGEMENT TO INCLUDE AND IMPLEMENT MORE DETAILED DOCUMENTATION AND MANAGEMENT REVIEW REQUIREMENTS, INCLUDING FOR VIDEO RECORDINGS, UH, WITHIN THE GPD POLICIES AND PROCEDURES AND ENSURE FIREARM DESTRUCTIONS ARE WITNESSED AND DOCUMENTED BY AN ARMED UNIFORMED OFFICER.
UM, ANOTHER CAUSE MAY HAVE BEEN THAT GPD WAS PREVIOUSLY INFORMED THAT THE DRUG WASTE DRUG WASTE MANAGEMENT COMPANY WOULDN'T ALLOW VIDEO RECORDING OF THE DESTRUCTION.
SO WE RECOMMEND MANAGEMENT CONFIRM VIDEO RECORDING POLICY WITH THE CURRENT DRUG WASTE MANAGEMENT COMPANY AND REVISE THE VIDEO RECORDING REQUIREMENT IN THE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES.
ACCORDINGLY, UH, MANAGEMENT CONCURS AND PROVIDES THE FOLLOWING ACTION PLAN.
A MORE ACCURATE DEPICTION OF THE VIDEO ISSUE WOULD BE TO SAY THAT THE WASTE MANAGEMENT EMPLOYEES HAVE MODIFIED THEIR POLICY ON VIDEO RECORDING
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BASED ON VARYING DECISIONS MADE BY DIFFERENT PERSONS IN CHARGE.IT'S CHALLENGING FOR STAFF AS THE NEAREST LOCATION TO CARRY OUT THIS TASK AS A THREE HOUR TRIP TO ANOTHER STATE, THUS LEAVING THEM DEPENDENT ON THE REGULATIONS IMPLEMENTED BY THE STAFF PRESENT AT THE TIME.
ALTHOUGH THE POLICY WILL REMAIN CONSISTENT IN ITS REQUIREMENT TO VIDEO RECORD THE DESTRUCTION PROCESS POT POTENTIAL POTENTIAL ISSUES WITH FACILITY STAFF MAY ARA ARISE.
AS NOTED IN EARLIER STATEMENTS, THE SHIFT FROM MANUAL TO AUTOMATED SYSTEMS IS UNDERWAY AND THE TRANSITION REQUIRES TIME AND EXPERT IT ASSISTANCE BEFORE FULLY REALIZING THE POTENTIAL OF THE NEW SYSTEM.
THE FOURTH OPPORTUNITY FOR IMPROVEMENT, UM, IS INVENTORY ANALYSIS AND REPORTING.
A COMPREHENSIVE INVENTORY SYSTEM REPORT IS NOT ROUTINELY GENERATED FOR ANALYSIS AND COMMUNICATED TO MANAGEMENT WITH THE CRITICAL FACTORS SUCH AS SIZE AND GROWTH OF INVENTORY, COMPOSITION OF INVENTORY, AGE OF INVENTORY, LIFECYCLE STATUSES, AND REMAINING STORAGE CAPACITY.
THE CAUSE MAY BE THAT INVENTORY ANALYSIS AND REPORTING REQUIREMENTS ARE NOT INCLUDED IN THE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES, SO WE RECOMMEND ADOPTING THOSE IN WRITING AND MANAGEMENT CONCURS.
UM, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IS CURRENTLY IN THE PROCESS OF TRANSITIONING AROUND A HUNDRED THOUSAND ITEMS FROM A MANUAL SYSTEM, UH, THAT UTILIZES OUTDATED DATABASES INTO A MODERN STATE OF THE ART SYSTEM.
BY EMBRACING THE NEW SYSTEMS ADVANCED CAPABILITIES, THE DEPARTMENT HOPES TO ENABLE DASHBOARD ANALYSIS, WHICH WAS ONE OF THE DRIVING FORCES BEHIND THE ADOPTION OF THE NEW TECHNOLOGY.
HOWEVER, THE PROCESS OF FULLY REALIZING THE NEW SYSTEMS POTENTIAL TAKES TIME AND THIS PROCESS IS ONGOING.
AND FOR OUR FINAL, UM, OPPORTUNITY FOR IMPROVEMENT, UH, WE HAVE PHYSICAL AND SYSTEM ACCESS.
PHYSICAL ACCESS TO THE PROPERTY AND EVIDENCE FACILITY, INCLUDING SECURED BOLTS AND SYSTEM ACCESS ARE NOT PERIODICALLY REVIEWED FOR APPROPRIATENESS.
INSTEAD, ACCESS IS REVIEWED AND REMOVED ONLY WHEN EMPLOYMENT IS TERMINATED.
THIS IS BECAUSE GPD POLICIES AND PROCEDURES DON'T ADDRESS ACCESS RIGHTS AND MONITORING REQUIREMENTS.
SO WE RECOMMEND MANAGEMENT ADOPT SUCH REQUIREMENTS IN WRITING FOR BOTH PHYSICAL AND SYSTEM ACCESSES MANAGEMENT.
CONCURS, THE RECENTLY ESTABLISHED PROPERTY ROOM FACILITY STANDS OUT AS A HIGHLY SECURE AND WELL PROTECTED FACILITY FEATURING COMPREHENSIVE VIDEO SURVEILLANCE AT EVERY ACCESS POINT.
STRINGENT PROTOCOLS HAVE BEEN IMPLEMENTED TO ENSURE THAT ONLY AUTHORIZED INDIVIDUALS ARE GRADED ACCESS TO THE FACILITY.
ACCESS IS, IS REVIEWED ANNUALLY WHEN CIS TRAINING IS PROVIDED AND PERIODICALLY WHEN AUDITED BY DPS.
WE ALSO STANDARDIZED OFF-BOARDING PROCEDURES OR ACCESS IS IMMEDIATELY REMOVED WHEN AN EMPLOYEE DEPARTS.
FOLLOWING AAA'S RECOMMENDATION, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT INTENDS TO INCORPORATE RELEVANT GUIDELINES AND PROCEDURES INTO ITS UPCOMING POLICY.
THIS AUDIT, UH, THIS AUDIT IS DONE ON THE NEW PROPERTY ROOM OR THE PROPERTY ROOM THAT'S EXISTING.
THE NEW PROPERTY ROOM, THE NEW ONE.
ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS?
YEAH, I JUST WANTED TO RECOGNIZE MY STAFF.
AS YOU KNOW, THE MORE COMPLEX THE AUDIT IS, UH, THE OPERATION IS THE MORE COMPLEX THE AUDIT BECOMES.
SO I JUST WANTED TO, YEAH, AND UH, I JUST WANNA MAKE A COMMENT ABOUT SHELLY AGAIN.
I THINK THAT, UH, SHE AND HER STAFF
SO WHERE, UH, WHERE ARE WE? WHAT ARE WE LOOKING AT HERE? I BELIEVE THAT'S THE LAST ITEM ON THE GENERAL, AS FAR AS THE REPORT IS CONCERNED.
UH, THIS IS FOR INFORMATION OR? YES, SIR.
I THINK THAT'S THE LAST ITEM ON THE GENERAL SESSION.
SO WE NEED TO CONCLUDE AT THIS POINT AND IF WE GO INTO OUR EXECUTIVE SESSION, IS THAT WHAT WE'RE SAYING? OKAY.
WITH THAT, AT 3:19 PM CONCLUDED THE REGULAR SESSION.
THREE 19, READ THE SECOND PART LATER.
IS THAT WHAT WE'RE DOING? JUST READ, READ, READ THE WHOLE THING.
AND I THINK THEY'RE, THEY'RE GETTING A LONG ARE THEY GONNA COPY ON THIS? THE SCREEN THERE? OH YEAH, YEAH, YEAH, YEAH, YEAH.
EVERYONE IN THE ROOM NOW SHOULD BE HERE AS A RESULT OF BEING PART OF THIS EXECUTIVE SESSION.
WITH THAT, I HAVE SOME READING TO
[01:20:01]
DOJ.DO WE NEED TO WAIT BECAUSE HE'S PART OF, I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND, UH, READ HERE.
NOTICE THE AUDIT COMMITTEE, WE'LL RECESS FROM THE OPEN SESSION AND CONVENE AND CLOSE EXECUTIVE SESSION PURSUANT TO SECTION 5 51 0.0 89 AND SECTIONS 5 51 0.0 7 1 5 5 1 0.0 86 AND 5 5 2 0.133 OF THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE OF TO DISCUSS THE FOLLOWING MATTERS IT RISK ASSESSMENT BRIEFING SECTION 5 51 DASH 0 89.
DISCUSSIONS IN DELIBERATIONS REGARDING SECURITY ASSESSMENT OR DEPLOYMENTS RELATING TO INFORMATION RESOURCES, TECHNOLOGY, NETWORK SECURITY INFORMATION, AND THE DEPLOYMENT OF SPECIFIC OCCASIONS FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF SECURITY PERSONNEL, CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND SECURITY DEVICES.
GPNL RISK OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE BRIEFING SECTION EIGHT, THAT 51.0 7 1 5 5 180 6 AND 5 5 1 0.13.
CONSULTATION WITH ATTORNEY AND CON CONFIDENTIALITY OF PUBLIC POWER, COMPETITIVE MATTERS, DISCUSSIONS, DELIBERATIONS, VOTES OR OTHER FINAL ACTIONS OR MATTERS RELATED TO THE CITY'S PUBLIC POWER UTILITIES.
COMPETITIVE ACTIVITY INCLUDING COMMERCIAL INFORMATION THAT WOULD IF DISCLOSED, GIVE ADVANTAGE TO COMPETITORS OR PROSPECTIVE COMP COMPETITORS.
AND IF REASONABLY REASONABLY RELATED TO ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING CATEGORIES OF INFORMATION GENERATION,
FIXED AND VARIABLE COST, INCLUDING FORECAST OF THOSE COST CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLANS FOR GENERATION UNITS AND GENERATION UNIT OPERATION CHARACTERISTICS AND OUTAGE SCHEDULING, BIDDING AND PRICING INFORMATION FOR PURCHASE POWER GENERATION AND FUEL AND ELECTRIC RELIABILITY.
COUNCIL OF TEXAS BIDS, PRICES, OFFERS AND RELATED SERVICES AND STRATEGIES, EFFECTIVE FUEL AND PURCHASE POWER AGREEMENTS AND FUEL TRANSPORTATION ARRANGEMENTS AND CONTRACTS, RISK MANAGEMENT, AFFIRMATION, CONTRACTS AND STRATEGIES INCLUDING FUEL HEDGES AND STORAGE PLANS, STUDIES, PROPOSALS AND ANALYSIS FOR SYSTEM IMPROVEMENTS, ADDITIONS OR SALES OTHER THAN TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM IMPROVEMENTS INSIDE THE SERVICE AREA FOR WHICH THE PUBLIC POWER UTILITY IS THE SOLE CERTIFIED RETAIL PROVIDER.
CUSTOMER BUILDING CONTRACT AND USE OF INFORMATION, ELECTRIC POWER PRICING INFORMATION SYSTEM LOAD CHARACTERISTICS AND ELECTRIC POWER MARKETING ANALYSIS AND STRATEGIES AND ATTORNEY CLIENT MATTERS CONCERNING PRIVILEGE AND UNPRIVILEGED CLIENT INFORMATION RELATED TO THE ABOVE.