El Paso Street And Maintenance Department Begins Audit Of Permitting Processes

In a recent meeting of the Financial Oversight and Audit Committee held on August 28, 2025, in El Paso, Texas, significant discussions centered around the Office of Management and Budgeting's efforts to streamline its procedures and the results of a follow-up audit on the Streets and Maintenance (SAM) permits review.

The meeting began with a presentation by Sascha Mandoneski, who outlined the initiative to consolidate all operational procedures into a single standard operating procedure document. This centralization aims to enhance efficiency and accessibility for audits, ensuring that all relevant policies are easily retrievable in one location. The committee members expressed support for this initiative, with Representative Chavez motioning for its approval, which passed unanimously.

Following this, Liz, a representative from the audit team, presented the findings from the follow-up audit on SAM permits. The audit's objective was to verify that management had implemented corrective actions based on recommendations from a previous audit conducted in July 2023. The review covered the period from September 2024 to March 2025 and included an assessment by the consulting firm AECOM.

The audit identified three key findings from the original report. Firstly, it was noted that SAM lacked specific policies and procedures for its permitting function. However, the follow-up revealed that draft documents were in progress, with a comprehensive manual expected to be finalized by December 2025.

Secondly, the audit highlighted that the municipal code did not accurately reflect SAM's operational timelines, particularly regarding permit issuance, which averaged five working days—four days longer than the code stipulated. While the code has yet to be updated, both the audit team and AECOM have recommended revisions to align the code with actual practices.

Lastly, the audit found that SAM had not consistently conducted inspections before closing permits. In response, SAM has developed a preconstruction and inspection checklist and a weekly report to track inspections. This new process aims to ensure that no permits are closed without proper inspections, addressing previous deficiencies.

The committee members engaged in discussions about the timelines for implementing these changes, with assurances from SAM representatives that the necessary updates would be completed by the end of 2025. However, some concerns were raised regarding the ongoing delays in updating the municipal code and the potential impact on operational efficiency.

In conclusion, the meeting underscored the city's commitment to improving its financial oversight and operational procedures. The anticipated completion of the comprehensive policies and procedures manual, along with the revisions to the municipal code, are expected to enhance the efficiency and accountability of the Streets and Maintenance Department. The committee will continue to monitor these developments as they unfold.