Title
Reporting Structure of Equal Opportunity, Affirmation Action and Other Human Relations Programs (B)
Explanation
On May 8, 2000, the Blue Ribbon Committee on Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity presented several recommendations to the City Commission on issues related to the organizational structure, reporting responsibility, financial/budgetary implications and other matters for the Equal Opportunity Department and the City Auditor's Office. The City Commission requested that the City Auditor study and evaluate the Blue Ribbon Committee's recommendations that:
1) Responsibility for Equal Opportunity and other human relations programs be transferred to the City Auditor; and
2) The City Auditor perform compliance audits on all human relations programs.
We have considered the issues and the impact of the proposals. We agree with Blue Ribbon Committee Recommendation #2 and can include audits to assess and evaluate the Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action and Minority/Small Business Enterprise (MBE/SBE) programs on a citywide basis in our FY 2001 Annual Audit Plan. However, we do not agree with Blue Ribbon Committee Recommendation #1 to transfer the stated programs, even on a temporary basis, to the City Auditor. The proposed transfer would structurally change the duties of the City Auditor and be detrimental to the functionality of the Office of the City Auditor. The attached report presents the results of our analysis concerning the proposed Blue Ribbon Committee recommendations and provides further suggestions for consideration
Recommendation
The Personnel and Organizational Structure Committee accept the City Auditor's report and recommend that the City Commission:
1) Not transfer Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action or other human relations programs and activities to the Office of the City Auditor;
2) Authorize the City Auditor to include audits for assessing and evaluating the City's human relations programs in the FY 2001 Annual Audit Plan;
3) Support the City Manager to consider relocating the Equal Opportunity Department outside the City Manager's Office; and
4) Consider creating a standing committee to monitor human relations programs.