[{"_1":2,"_98":-5,"_99":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,74,86],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},"mediaId",6231057,"mediaKeyId","3439838-2fdcac7d19f383bd39406fcc0ba0248c","parentId",3439838,"title","City auditor adds quick-response audit team, plans peer and pension actuarial reviews","audioSeconds",721,"startMs",4235000,"endMs",4956000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3439838-2fdcac7d19f383bd39406fcc0ba0248c&start=4235&end=4956","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3439838-2fdcac7d19f383bd39406fcc0ba0248c/thumbnail_4235000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6231057/Atlanta/Fulton-County/Georgia/City-auditor-adds-quick-response-audit-team-plans-peer-and-pension-actuarial-reviews","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6231057-5ffc0d8efc9b967f7f58ee65d043b265/orig.mp4?Expires=1771112123&Signature=L4DqaC05jCnEHcqVpaGCqcplZbZOWUBfWxm~Q2gtfbnHm9~YtB3yE1AI59KG~LtH0zPbhwWJ9LEUHEc5DN19rwRoaFT5lbIpwKFBUQb4E6tFbWnfPeJnq3T3UPUir7lP24NY6nXITWeTlMJgatyA6CNWBCn37JuhC2PrzHa-1IyBlt9wPQAONIogSTuMv68zpq1OQhylxmviPurpIItPKKfe-3M7fSMgfRBtwMevaQ3nS7SGKtbt3f3Sk39nXgbLYeZcGrtR2-exJR4UiUlcXuiU2cb2AWOSpaIaBsiAvzcDlt4g~IjQuz6erEZO~Wo9GfbI8iJY4Pue2K-SmpJORA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-05-22T04:50:10.237Z","article","The City Auditor and deputy told the council committee that the audit office created a quick-response audit team this year to perform focused, time-limited audits and to increase responsiveness to urgent issues. The office released its first quick-response product on timeliness of payments in April.

\"A quick response audit is a single issue audit with a narrow focus that's designed to address a limited objective relatively quickly,\" the auditor said, describing the new methodology and revised report format.

The office plans a peer review in mid-July to assess quality-control systems required under government auditing standards and expects to schedule an actuarial audit of the city's three defined-pension plans; that actuarial audit is required by city code every three years, the auditor said, and was delayed while the city cleaned pension data.

The audit office reported 20 approved positions, four vacancies in February (one hire expected in June) and recent turnover: four of six hires in the prior 12 months are no longer with the office. The auditor cited market pressures and remote-work preferences as factors affecting retention and said succession planning will be a major FY26 focus.

On budget, the audit office said the proposed FY26 general-fund budget represents a 4.6% increase over the current year and does not fully fund all approved positions. The office requested increases to contracted services to help with succession planning but noted that the current proposal is about 3% less than requested.

The presentation was informational; no formal votes or actions were taken.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","#Atlanta City Council FY2026 Budget Briefings Morning Session May 21, 2025 #atlpol","oneSentenceSummary","The City Auditor reported creation of a quick-response audit team, a planned peer review in July and a scheduled actuarial audit of the city's three pension plans; the office also noted turnover and four vacancies and a proposed FY26 general-fund increase of 4.6%.","taxTitle","Atlanta, Fulton County, Georgia","taxId",2959,"location","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6231062,"Atlanta ethics office reports higher disclosure compliance, launches \"Genie\" audit bot and plans ethics week",589,3158000,3747000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3439838-2fdcac7d19f383bd39406fcc0ba0248c&start=3158&end=3747","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3439838-2fdcac7d19f383bd39406fcc0ba0248c/thumbnail_3158000.jpg","/articles/6231062/Atlanta/Fulton-County/Georgia/Atlanta-ethics-office-reports-higher-disclosure-compliance-launches-Genie-audit-bot-and-plans-ethics-week","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6231062-3a48fb57ace85eb6e40eff2ccedab233/orig.mp4?Expires=1771112123&Signature=lsQYtumJgr2wYbn98U2mJ1ZdNGbewNxo876FttCr~MGoFMrqd4PXRpmMSRJQJKhpA8OnMx3BOFIgZZxlZCDW9U9qwagxYvy18XlRumRxSubBjUFDo36fUOl~qjvPTNWlQ9ViebrUt777E8EaUZ34LSW5l5oas4AIf1CNMuN1YZT1xeGLbdRK5UBxcUuGtz0bTQ3FMkFcXSwfapsvZXWgiXk2hJAL8LSpj~uZxq48mROZDEn5U0oC~iLkQcG99jkVlWEsCM2JpvQO9kla6ghj444ZNQ6F3FO7CBOhGqbObgHhnTvgeShBotILeDlpZfGekpzrcttX8hxuQJLDXcAgyg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Ethics Officer Jabu Sangova told the council committee that the Atlanta City Ethics Office developed an automated audit program nicknamed \"Genie\" to identify potential conflicts on disclosure forms and will expand technology and training next fiscal year.

Sangova said Genie will allow the office to audit all filed disclosure statements rather than a small sample. \"Genie is the name of the bot,\" Sangova said, adding that the automated reviews replace a largely manual auditing process and increase the thoroughness of conflict checks.

The office reported a 96% completion rate for the 2025 financial disclosure filings, up from 94% for 2024, and a 90% completion rate for ethics training, which Sangova said equated to about 9,018 employees because staff made accommodations for employees with limited access to technology.

For FY26 the ethics office proposed a general-fund budget of approximately $1.7 million and a total budget of about $2.5 million when including aviation and wastewater funds the office serves. Sangova said the FY26 staffing count should be 14 FTE once one vacant position is reclassified into an investigator opening and filled.

Planned investments include a new public-facing ethics website (targeted launch September 2025), a consolidated case-management system (targeted August completion), an updated e-learning course (targeted July launch), and a full \"ethics week\" scheduled the week of Oct. 16 with a major event on Oct. 18.

Council members asked whether the additional investigator position had been posted and whether the website and training investments would improve outreach and transparency. Sangova said the personnel paperwork had been submitted and hiring would follow ratification; she said the website will be more user-friendly and will support educational outreach.

Sangova also noted partnership with the Department of Human Resources for training and with outside professional organizations: the office will engage with the Council on Governmental Ethics Laws (COGEL) conference when it convenes in Atlanta.

The session was a budget and program briefing and included no formal council action.","Ethics staff reported a 96% financial disclosure filing rate, launched an automated auditing tool called \"Genie,\" proposed a flat FY26 budget of $1.7 million from the general fund (total $2.5 million including other funds), and announced plans for a new website, case-management system and an ethics week in October.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6231068,"Atlanta inspector general outlines office restructure, backlog plan and $1.47 million budget request",2781,195000,2976000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3439838-2fdcac7d19f383bd39406fcc0ba0248c&start=195&end=2976","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3439838-2fdcac7d19f383bd39406fcc0ba0248c/thumbnail_195000.jpg","/articles/6231068/Atlanta/Fulton-County/Georgia/Atlanta-inspector-general-outlines-office-restructure-backlog-plan-and-147-million-budget-request","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6231068-e18d3166ab2e394bba83c1b00e83e5e1/orig.mp4?Expires=1771112123&Signature=Xg~jAXNHb9OyDU74LYIdmGD2b4BcvFC66Nlbx2L1fp-ttJpK-pudqsPJY9Ad6TJObYNpTSyM3ZvMeilMoyHi7OdyEiPqFRHli6X5wzyYGuQarFQPZW-HrSDzNS8oE0T~vHQ8euO0j8hzG6ezk~GBPrM-pId~WXKUuNNVjJRXWjDb8ptlSjU26OdxF2BYMtODHfkUSI6rNERQ7vrxYJT8WJYn4HYqL6TO9YvEKto~XwB8OSg81d91xXxJ9ONQem-X034tYeljtgzZT6ZWGru8eqmBELyRi2oGoyiaFUzMXhyQhbhF~hKnrJfpIlk63nP0MtkGINj9my0ge9lXq62-zg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Interim Inspector General Blackett told the Atlanta City Council committee that she has reorganized the Office of Inspector General to emphasize \"effective and ethical government,\" established a transparency and communication policy, and requested a FY26 budget of $1,468,960 — an increase of $10,000 from the prior year.

Blackett said the office has changed how investigators are assigned and how the OIG communicates with departments so that timelines, processes and outcomes are clear. \"The office of the inspector general must be independent for the purposes of investigation, but independence does not mean isolation,\" she said, adding that the office has been reaching out to department heads to understand their needs and preferred communication methods.

The reorganization aims to address a backlog of older investigations and improve record retention and case management. Blackett said the office took a concentrated period to work only on backlog cases, placing them on a 90-day investigation cycle; she said staff had completed 25 backlog cases that required her review and formal preparation. She also cited a recently purchased electronic case-management system whose maintenance costs remain in the FY26 request.

Council members pressed Blackett on staffing and the governing board that must sign off on closed investigations under recent charter changes. Blackett said the office had 15 positions filled in February but is currently short five positions after several supervisory resignations, including deputy and assistant inspector general roles. She said an offer has been made for a deputy over compliance and interviews are underway for assistant inspector-general positions and IPRO openings.

The absence of a fully constituted governing board has slowed formal closure and public release of cases, she said. \"Based on the charter changes, a case is not closed until it goes to the governing board,\" Blackett said, noting that she nevertheless shares substantiated and unsubstantiated findings with affected department heads, the chief operating officer and the law department when immediate action is warranted.

Blackett said the OIG will continue discretionary IPRO procurement reviews in addition to mandated reviews of million-dollar-plus procurements and that staff coordinate closely with the Department of Procurement on report timing to avoid delaying procurement actions. She also said she will distribute a worksheet defining \"waste, fraud and abuse\" to the council to standardize determinations across departments.

Council members voiced concerns about potential delays while the governing board is formed, the risk that investigative findings could be \"polished\" over time, and the need to protect individuals' reputations when preliminary findings are shared. Blackett acknowledged those concerns and said consistent definitions and procedures will make decisions auditable and more defensible. She also said the office will continue internal briefings to departments and will publish governing-board-approved rulings once the board is in place.

No formal vote or policy adoption took place during the presentation; the exchange was a budget and operational briefing and question-and-answer session.

The presentation included discussion of training needs, requests for new computers and increased record-retention resources, and the OIG's intent to resume discretionary IPRO reviews in the second or third quarter of the fiscal year.","Interim Inspector General described organizational changes, a new transparency and communication policy, a plan to clear a backlog of older investigations and a FY26 budget request of $1,468,960, while council members pressed on staffing and governing-board delays.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

City auditor adds quick-response audit team, plans peer and pension actuarial reviews

Atlanta ethics office reports higher disclosure compliance, launches "Genie" audit bot and plans ethics week

Atlanta inspector general outlines office restructure, backlog plan and $1.47 million budget request