Report 2011-131 Recommendation 33 Responses
Report 2011-131: City of Vernon: Although Reform Is Ongoing, Past Poor Decision Making Threatens Its Financial Stability (Release Date: June 2012)
Recommendation #33 To: Vernon, City of
To ensure that the city council and public are well informed regarding proposed debt decisions, the city should provide summary information that clearly explains the costs, risks, and benefits related to the proposed decisions in its agenda packets, and should provide these in advance on its Web site.
Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From July 2014
On February 4, 2014, the City Council adopted the Budget Policies and Procedures Manual, which provides for the method of communication of budget and financial information to the City Council and the public. Required communication includes website postings and written agenda materials. (See pages 12-13 of Budget Policies and Procedures Manual.)
- Completion Date: February 2014
California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Fully Implemented
1-Year Agency Response
On May 7, 2013, as part of the first of three public City Council study session meetings for the proposed 2013-2014 fiscal year budget, the Finance Director provided an up-to-date analysis of the City's debt structure. The update included recent activities on his ongoing exploration of potential refunding opportunities. If any viable opportunities present themselves, detailed summary information that clearly explains the costs, risks, and benefits related to any proposed actions will be included in the respective agenda packet. The full agenda packets for all public City meetings, including City Council meetings, from January 2012 forward, are posted on the City's website.
- Completion Date: May 2013
- Response Date: July 2013
California State Auditor's Assessment of 1-Year Status: Pending
The city indicates in its update that if any viable opportunities present themselves, it will include in its agenda packet detailed summary information that clearly explains the costs, risks, and benefits related to any proposed actions. Because the city has not yet had any of these instances we cannot conclude on whether it has fully complied with this recommendation.
6-Month Agency Response
The city indicates that the finance department will continue to provide the city council and the public in advance of making all future debt decisions as part of any respective agenda packet and that information will be posted on the city's Web site and open for public comment.
- Response Date: January 2013
California State Auditor's Assessment of 6-Month Status: No Action Taken
The city did not provide any documentation to demonstrate that its finance department has provided such information to the city council for debt decisions or how it will ensure this information is more useful than what was previously provided to the city council.
60-Day Agency Response
The city did not address this recommendation in its August 2012 response. (See 2013-406, p. 197)
- Response Date: August 2012
California State Auditor's Assessment of 60-Day Status: No Action Taken
All Recommendations in 2011-131
Agency responses received after June 2013 are posted verbatim.