• The Mayor created a Community Task Force on Financial Administration and Internal Controls. The members are Robert E. Carlson, Robert C. Davidson, Jr., James F. Dowling, C. Douglas Kranwinkle, Donald C. Nanney, Charlotte Reith, Raul F. Salinas. The first meeting of the Task Force is expected to be held on March 9, 2015 at 5:00 p.m. ALL TASK FORCE MEETINGS ARE PUBLIC MEETINGS AND WILL BE NOTICED ON THE CITY’S WEB PAGE, https://cityofpasadena.net/.

• The Ad Hoc Committee of the City Council, which is made up of 4 City Councilmembers: Madison McAustin, Gordo & Kennedy, has met twice to receive the status of various actions underway and consider additional litigation. The Ad Hoc Committee reports to the City Council.

• The City’s Fraud Hotline, 626 744-7448 and online reporting website, https://egov1.cityofpasadena.net/apps/reportAbuse/, has received 15 calls/emails and all are being investigated.

• The contract with the City’s Auditors has not been renewed. They will wind up their work on this fiscal year’s activities. A Request For Proposals for new Auditors will be going out in early March. The Mayor’s Task Force as well as the Ad Hoc Committee may have input into the work plan for the new auditors.

• Another Request For Proposals, for a Citywide Fraud Risk Assessment, to be undertaken on each City Department, will be going out shortly. A Fraud Risk Assessment or Risk Audit will specifically test the effectiveness of existing internal controls. It is expected the Assessment of each Department could take six to eight weeks.

• A “Desk Audit” of the Undergrounding Program itself is underway. The Desk Audit will assess whether established procedures are/were being properly followed.

We are awaiting the results of the continuing personnel investigations and will have more to share when that information is received. As always, you are welcome to contact me with any questions or comments you may have on this, or any other subject. I will continue to keep you informed as events transpire.