January 22, 2026 Study Session

City of Mesa — City Council (2026-03-23)

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OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK             
 
 
COUNCIL MINUTES 
 
January 22, 2026 
 
The City Council of the City of Mesa met in the Study Session Room at City Hall, 20 East Main Street, 
on January 22, 2026, at 7:30 a.m. 
 
COUNCIL PRESENT 
 
COUNCIL ABSENT 
OFFICERS PRESENT 
Mark Freeman  
Scott Somers 
Rich Adams 
Jennifer Duff 
Alicia Goforth 
Francisco Heredia  
Dorean Taylor  
 
  None 
 
  
Scott Butler  
Holly Moseley 
Jim Smith 
 
 
Mayor Freeman conducted a roll call. 
 
1. 
Review and discuss items on the agenda for the January 26, 2026, Regular Council meeting. 
 
All of the items on the agenda were reviewed among Council and the following was noted: 
 
Conflict of interest: None 
 
Items removed from the consent agenda: None 
 
In response to a question from Mayor Freeman regarding agenda Item 5-b, (Authorizing the 
sale of certain City-owned real property located at 159 North Phyllis and authorizing the 
City Manager to enter into a Purchase and Sale Agreement for the sale of the property. 
(District 3)), on the Regular Council Meeting agenda, City Engineer Lance Webb introduced Real 
Estate Manager Lisa Davis and displayed a PowerPoint presentation. (See Attachment 1) 
 
Ms. Davis explained that the City purchased the subject property in 1985 after a residential 
structure on the site experienced repeated flooding during rainfall events. She said that the home 
was subsequently demolished, and the City of Mesa (COM) has owned the 15,000-square-foot 
parcel as vacant land since that time. She reported that a third-party appraisal determined the 
current value of the property to be $165,000. (See Page 2 of Attachment 1) 
 
Ms. Davis reported that the adjacent property owner to the south approached the COM regarding 
a potential purchase and staff subsequently contacted other nearby property owners; however, 
no additional interest was expressed. She confirmed that Bastion Investments, which owns the 
property to the south, is pursuing redevelopment of its approximately two-acre site and has 
expressed interest in acquiring the property, potentially for secondary access to its current 
development. (See Page 3 of Attachment 1)

Study Session 
January 22, 2026 
Page 2 
 
 
   
Ms. Davis stated that selling the property at its appraised value would allow the land to be 
redeveloped and eliminate a parcel that has remained vacant since 1985 and requested Council 
authorization to proceed with the sale. (See Page 4 of Attachment 1) 
 
Mr. Webb explained, because of the topography, the property is one of the lowest points in the 
area, and any future redevelopment would likely require using a portion of the site for stormwater 
retention, potentially incorporated into access or circulation for the adjacent development. 
 
In response to a question from Councilmember Duff, Ms. Davis clarified that the property to the 
south is zoned RM-4 and has an existing entitlement approved in 2016 for approximately 60 units 
of senior living. She stated that the applicant is proposing to utilize the property in support of the 
same use but that the site may be incorporated to provide secondary access and/or stormwater 
retention and if development occurred the parcel would likely require grade improvements to 
address its low-lying condition. 
 
Mayor Freeman thanked staff for the presentation. 
 
Responding to a question from Councilmember Taylor regarding agenda Item 5-c, (Approving 
and authorizing the City Manager to enter into an Intergovernmental Agreement with the 
Regional Public Transportation Authority (RPTA) for fixed-route bus, paratransit and 
RideChoice, services. The estimated cost of transit services for FY 2025/26 is $39,002,561. 
Public Transportation Funds (PTF) from Propositions 400 and 479 will fund $34,005,074 
and the City's General Fund will fund $4,997,487. (Citywide)), on the Regular Council Meeting 
agenda, City Manager Scott Butler explained that Proposition 400 was a countywide 
transportation sales tax approved for a 20-year term, which ended in 2024, and that Proposition 
479 was subsequently approved by voters to provide a new 20-year extension of the same 
transportation funding mechanism. He pointed out that these propositions have funded freeway, 
transit, and arterial street projects throughout the region for more than two decades and stated 
that the COM receives a substantial share of these revenues.  
 
2-a. 
Hear a presentation, discuss, and provide direction on selling a 10-acre parcel of City-owned real 
property located at 8130 East Redberry, Mesa. 
 
 
City Engineer Lance Webb introduced Real Estate Manager Lisa Davis and displayed a 
PowerPoint Presentation. (See Attachment 2) 
 
Ms. Davis stated that the property located at 8130 East Redberry Road, slightly over 10 acres in 
size, was purchased by the COM in 2003 for $630,000 for use as a park site; however, staff later 
determined the parcel is no longer needed for park purposes.  She reported that a third-party 
appraisal was completed, establishing a market value of $1,550,000. (See Pages 2 and 3 of 
Attachment 2)  
 
Ms. Davis confirmed that staff is requesting direction from Council to proceed with an online 
auction of the property. She noted the City’s prior use of the EASIBuy online auction service for 
the disposition of surplus properties and provided an overview of the bidding process parameters.  
She stated that the current zoning for the property is RS-35, and a conceptual layout indicates 
the potential for development of approximately eight residential lots. She explained that future 
development would require half-street improvements along East Redberry Road, construction of 
a private internal street, and compliance with all applicable development standards. She added 
that any proposed design requiring rezoning or alternative development standards would need to 
proceed through the City’s formal planning and zoning process. (See Page 4 of Attachment 2)

Study Session 
January 22, 2026 
Page 3 
 
 
   
In response to a question from Councilmember Goforth, Mr. Webb explained that municipal sewer 
service is not currently available in the area. He emphasized that the site layout presented was 
conceptual only, intended to demonstrate that the property is developable. He stated that the 
policy is to require sewer connections when sewer service is nearby and reasonably obtainable, 
and in cases where sewer is located across the street or readily accessible; the City has denied 
requests for septic systems made solely to reduce development costs. He confirmed that in this 
instance, extending sewer service would be cost-prohibitive and could render the property 
undevelopable. He added that while sewer may be extended to the area in the future, such 
extension is not anticipated in the near term. 
 
Ms. Davis outlined the public notification process associated with the proposed sale of the 
property and pointed out that EASIBuy would create a dedicated auction webpage, which would 
also be linked through the COM Real Estate webpage. She noted that the COM maintains a list 
of interested buyers and has previously utilized the Developers Advisory Forum to broadly 
distribute notice of surplus property offerings. She commented that, in accordance with COM 
policy, a sign would be posted on the property and notification letters would be mailed to 
surrounding property owners to ensure community awareness. She estimated that the auction 
would occur in late March, allowing approximately 30 days of public notice for interested parties 
to review the information and prepare to participate. She recalled that while the COM policy 
requires notification within 500 feet of the property, staff intend to expand notification to 1,000 
feet. (See Page 5 of Attachment 2) 
 
Discussion ensued regarding the potential future development of the proposed property.  
 
Responding to a question from Councilmember Goforth, Principal Planner Evan Balmer identified 
most of the surrounding area as zoned RS-35 and verified that the site is designated within the 
Desert Uplands area of the General Plan, which is intended to accommodate larger lot 
development with limited disturbance areas. He referenced a location map illustrating the 
disturbance boundary and stated that the area eligible for disturbance is limited. He confirmed 
that the RS-35 zoning district allows for a density of approximately 1.15 dwelling units per acre. 
(See Page 6 of Attachment 2) 
 
Mayor Freeman noted that it was the consensus of the Council that staff proceed with selling the 
real property located at 8130 East Redberry. 
 
 Mayor Freeman thanked staff for the presentation. 
 
2-b. 
Hear a presentation, discuss, and receive an update on the City of Mesa Fiscal Year 2025 Annual 
Comprehensive Financial Report. 
 
 
Finance Director Irma Ashworth displayed a PowerPoint presentation. (See Attachment 3) 
 
 
Ms. Ashworth presented the results of the Fiscal Year 2025 report, noting that the Finance 
Department prepared the comprehensive COM financial statements, which were audited by 
CliftonLarsonAllen. She reported that the audit results were positive, with the COM receiving an 
unmodified and clean opinion, indicating that the financial statements are materially accurate and 
that no audit findings were identified, the statements were prepared in accordance with Generally 
Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), and all applicable governmental accounting standards. 
(See Page 2 of Attachment 3)

Study Session 
January 22, 2026 
Page 4 
 
 
   
Ms. Ashworth highlighted that citywide revenues remained strong in Fiscal Year (FY) 2025, and 
she noted that revenues for governmental activities were comparable to FY 2024, while business-
type activities, including the Utility Fund and Airport, also remained consistent with the prior year. 
She reviewed key revenue components for governmental activities, which include the General 
Fund, special revenue funds, debt service funds, and capital project funds. She added that taxes 
continue to be the COM’s largest revenue source, with sales taxes and secondary property taxes 
remaining consistent over the past three years. She stated that unrestricted intergovernmental 
revenues, including state-shared sales tax, state-shared income tax, and vehicle license tax, 
decreased in FY 2025 compared to FY 2024, which was anticipated due to the State’s adoption 
of a flat 2.5 percent income tax and the two-year lag associated with state-shared revenues. She 
said that transfers from the Utility Fund to the General Fund increased slightly over the past few 
years and remain consistent with the governing resolution that establishes the transfer 
methodology. She mentioned program revenues, which include charges and fees such as 
licenses, permits, and grant funding, increased modestly in FY 2025. (See Pages 3 and 4 of 
Attachment 3) 
 
Responding to a request from Councilmember Taylor, Office of Management and Budget Director 
Brian Ritschel clarified that while the State collects income tax revenues in the current year, 
distributions to cities do not occur until approximately 18 months to two years later. He pointed 
out that as a result, the COM already knows the income tax amounts included in current and near-
term forecasts. He explained that the two-year lag is the result of a long-standing agreement 
between the State and municipalities which allows the Arizona Department of Revenue sufficient 
time to reconcile income tax returns, including amendments and refiling, prior to distributing 
revenues.  
 
Ms. Ashworth presented a 10-year comparison of the COM’s net position, illustrating that net 
position has increased steadily over the past seven years. She pointed out that net position 
represents total assets minus total liabilities, comparable to retained earnings in the private sector. 
She noted that the decrease in net position in FY 2018 resulted from the implementation of a new 
Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) accounting standard, which required the City 
to recognize Other Post-Employment Benefits (OPEB) as a liability on the financial statements, 
rather than as a disclosure only, and the addition of this liability, without corresponding assets, 
reduced net position at that time. She emphasized that since implementation of the standard, the 
City’s net position has shown consistent growth and due to Council’s fiscal stewardship and policy 
direction, the City is currently experiencing the strongest net position in its history, spanning more 
than 100 years. (See Page 5 of Attachment 3)  
 
Ms. Ashworth reported that the City’s total assets increased to approximately $6.1 billion and that 
the largest component of total assets are capital assets including buildings, infrastructure, and 
land.  She provided a detailed overview of the capital assets, reporting values at the time of 
acquisition or completion, net of accumulated depreciation, and broken out between 
governmental and business-type activities. (See Pages 6 and 7 of Attachment 3) 
 
Ms. Ashworth reviewed the total liabilities of approximately $4.8 billion and stated that compared 
to total assets of $6.1 billion, this results in a net position of approximately $1.3 billion. She pointed 
out that the two largest liability categories are long-term obligations and pension and OPEB 
liabilities. She commented that the Highway User Revenue Bonds decreased and are funded 
through state-shared highway user revenues. She noted that the utility revenue bonds decreased 
as the COM transitioned to issuing utility revenue obligations, with additional reductions 
anticipated through refinancing opportunities, and the excise tax obligations remain part of the 
City’s long-term debt structure. (See Page 9 of Attachment 3)

Study Session 
January 22, 2026 
Page 5 
 
 
   
Ms. Ashworth detailed the City’s pension and OPEB unfunded liabilities, which include the Arizona 
State Retirement System (ASRS) for most non-sworn employees, Public Safety Personnel 
Retirement System (PSPRS) fire and police plans, and the City’s OPEB plan. She stated that the 
City makes all required annual contributions, and that contributions to PSPRS exceed required 
amounts, with the current plan projecting full funding by approximately 2042, potentially sooner 
due to additional payments. (See Page 10 of Attachment 3)  
 
 
Responding to questions from Councilmember Taylor, Ms. Ashworth clarified that the City’s $4.8 
billion in total liabilities consists primarily of long-term obligations, pension and OPEB liabilities, 
and other accounts payable, which together comprise the full liability balance.  She stated that 
preparation of the COM’s financial statements begins at the close of the fiscal year and explained 
the process. She added that the COM utilizes a third-party independent auditor, 
CliftonLarsonAllen, which is selected through a competitive procurement process and pointed out 
that the current audit contract has two years remaining before rebid. She outlined the process of 
the audits that are conducted in accordance with government auditing standards issued by the 
U.S. Government Accountability Office. She confirmed that the auditors identified no findings, no 
significant deficiencies, and no material weaknesses in internal controls for FY 2025. She defined 
a significant deficiency and a material weakness and recalled that the COM has not had a material 
weakness in approximately a decade, and significant deficiencies have been infrequent. She 
addressed the Single Audit of federal programs and stated that auditors also review compliance 
with specific federal requirements. She confirmed that the Single Audit is still in progress and 
discussed corrective action plans, if applicable.  
 
 
Mayor Freeman thanked staff for the presentation. 
 
3-a. 
Acknowledge receipt of minutes of various boards and committees.  
 
3-a. 
Board of Adjustment meeting held on November 5, 2025. 
 
3-b. 
Parks and Recreation Advisory Board meeting held on November 12, 2025. 
 
3-c. 
Design Review Board meeting held on November 18, 2025. 
 
3-d. 
Board of Adjustment meeting held on December 3, 2025. 
 
3-e. 
Design Review Board meeting held on December 9, 2025. 
 
3-f. 
Planning and Zoning Board Study Session meeting held on December 10, 2025. 
 
3-g. 
Planning and Zoning Board Special meeting held on December 10, 2025. 
 
3-h. 
Planning and Zoning Board Public Hearing meeting held on December 10, 2025. 
 
It was moved by Vice Mayor Somers, seconded by Councilmember Heredia, that receipt of the 
above-listed minutes be acknowledged. 
 
Upon tabulation of votes, it showed:  
 
AYES – Freeman–Somers– Adams–Duff–Goforth–Heredia–Taylor 
NAYS – None 
ABSENT – None

Study Session 
January 22, 2026 
Page 6 
 
 
   
Carried unanimously. 
 
4. 
Current events summary including meetings and conferences attended. 
 
Mayor Freeman and Councilmembers highlighted the events, meetings, and conferences recently 
attended. 
 
5. 
Scheduling of meetings. 
 
City Manager Scott Butler stated that the schedule of meetings is as follows: 
 
Monday, January 26, 2026, 5:15 p.m. – Study Session 
 
Monday, January 26, 2026, 5:45 p.m. – Regular Council 
 
6. 
Convene an Executive Session  
 
It was moved by Councilmember Taylor, seconded by Councilmember Duff, that the Council 
adjourn the Study Session at 8:25 a.m. and enter into an Executive Session.  
 
Upon tabulation of votes, it showed:  
 
AYES – Freeman–Somers–Adams–Duff–Goforth–Heredia–Taylor  
NAYS – None 
ABSENT – None 
 
Carried unanimously. 
 
6-a. 
Discussion or consultation for legal advice with the City Attorney (A.R.S. § 38-
431.03(A)(3)). Discussion or consultation with the City Attorney in order to consider the 
City’s position and instruct the City Attorney regarding the City’s position regarding 
contracts that are the subject of negotiations (A.R.S. § 38-431.03(A)(4)). Discussion or 
consultation with designated representatives of the City in order to consider the City’s 
position and instruct the City’s representatives regarding negotiations for the purchase, 
sale, or lease of real property (A.R.S. § 38-431.03(A)(7)).  
 
1. Property located at 1 West Main Street, Mesa. 
 
7.  
Adjournment. 
 
Without objection, the Study Session adjourned at 8:52 a.m. 
 
 
 
    ____________________________________ 
MARK FREEMAN, MAYOR 
ATTEST: 
 
 
_______________________________ 
 
HOLLY MOSELEY, CITY CLERK

Study Session 
January 22, 2026 
Page 7 
 
 
   
I hereby certify that the foregoing minutes are a true and correct copy of the minutes of the Study Session 
of the City Council of Mesa, Arizona, held on the 22nd day of January 2026. I further certify that the 
meeting was duly called and held and that a quorum was present. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
_______________________________ 
 
      HOLLY MOSELEY, CITY CLERK 
 
sr  
(Attachments – 3)

Authorizing the Sale of City Owned Property
159 N. Phyllis
City Council Study Session January 22, 2026
Lance Webb, City Engineer
Lisa Davis, Real Estate Manager
Study Session 
January 22, 2026 
Attachment 1 
Page 1 of 5

Location:
159 N Phyllis
North of Main Street 
and West of Dobson 
Road
15, 661 square feet  or 
.36 +/- Acres
Purchased in 1985
Appraised value 
$165,000
Study Session 
January 22, 2026 
Attachment 1 
Page 2 of 5

• Bastion Investments, LLC owns the 
property located south of the City owned 
property
• Plan to redevelop the site 
• Staff contacted property owners in the 
area but there was no interest was 
indicated
• Small site 15,661 square feet should be 
assembled with adjacent property for 
redevelopment
• Bastion Investments is working with 
Redevelopment Program Administrator 
Sale to adjacent owner 
for Redevelopment
Study Session 
January 22, 2026 
Attachment 1 
Page 3 of 5

Sale for Appraised value is $165,000
Redevelopment-Site will be assembled with 
adjacent property
Site will no longer be vacant
Advantages
Study Session 
January 22, 2026 
Attachment 1 
Page 4 of 5

159 N Phyllis
Authorize the sale of 
159 N Phyllis and the 
City Manager to enter 
into a purchase and 
sale agreement
 
Questions
Study Session 
January 22, 2026 
Attachment 1 
Page 5 of 5

Sale of City Owned Property
8130 E. Redberry
City Council Study Session January 22, 2026
Lance Webb, City Engineer
Lisa Davis, Real Estate Manager
Study Session  
January 22, 2026  
Attachment 2 
Page 1 of 6

Location:
8130 E Redberry
South Thomas Road 
and West of Hawes 
Road
10+/- Acres
Purchased in 2003 for 
a Park for $630,000
Study Session  
January 22, 2026  
Attachment 2 
Page 2 of 6

Online Auction 
Using EASIBuy
Redberry Property
• Minimum Bid $1,550,000-appraised value
• Minimum bidding increments of $10,000
• Auction Registration and Training Required
• Deposit of $77,500 (5% of minimum bid) required
• Auction will be 15 minutes with 2 minutes added as needed
EASIBuy provided online auction service for 
 
Adobe & Recker and 
 
13-acre groves at Thomas & the 202
Study Session  
January 22, 2026  
Attachment 2 
Page 3 of 6

•
Zoned Single Residence-35 (RS-35)
•
Dedication of half street and improvements for 
Redberry
•
Design to meet drainage requirements
•
Buyer may utilize septic systems- Development 
Agreement
•
Buyer may apply for rezoning
•
Must comply with Mesa 2050 General Plan
•
Must comply with Desert Uplands standards
•
Potential lot layout
Development 
Requirements
Study Session  
January 22, 2026  
Attachment 2 
Page 4 of 6

Notification of 
sale
EASIBuy webpage created for Auction
City of Mesa Real Estate Webpage
Real Estate list of interested buyers notified
Site is posted with signs
Letters sent to surrounding Property Owners
Study Session  
January 22, 2026  
Attachment 2 
Page 5 of 6

Discussion and 
Direction
Sale of the Property 
at 8130 E. Redberry 
 
Questions
Study Session  
January 22, 2026  
Attachment 2 
Page 6 of 6

City Auditor 
Presentation to the Audit, Finance and Enterprise Committee
January 15, 2026
Joseph Lisitano, City Auditor
Study Session 
January 22, 2026 
Attachment 3 
Page 1 of 21

DoIT – Remote Access Follow-up Review
Transportation – Street Maintenance Program Follow-up Review
Citywide – IGAs Cost Recovery Follow-up Review
Human Resources – Hiring and Recruitment Practices
City Attorney – VOCA Program 
Reports Issued July 2025 – January 2026
Study Session 
January 22, 2026 
Attachment 3 
Page 2 of 21

DoIT – Remote Access Follow-up Review
Report Date: 7/31/2025
A follow-up review to ensure action plans were successfully 
implemented.
Study Session 
January 22, 2026 
Attachment 3 
Page 3 of 21

DoIT – Remote Access Follow-up Review
Follow-up Review
4
What did
we find?
Status of recommendation from July 2024 report:
Develop and implement policies and procedures for 
managing remote access VPN that address the 
following: 
o Roles and responsibilities of staff involved in VPN 
management. 
o The process for ensuring its VPN client is secure and 
undergoes the required scheduled maintenance. 
o The process for detecting and responding to VPN-related 
issues, including establishing an incident response plan.
o Continuously reviewing and updating its policies and 
procedures to ensure it appropriately addresses evolving 
security threats and advances in VPN technology. 
Implemented
Study Session 
January 22, 2026 
Attachment 3 
Page 4 of 21

Transportation – Street Maintenance 
Program Follow-up Review
Report Date: 8/21/2025
A follow-up review to ensure action plans were successfully 
implemented.
Study Session 
January 22, 2026 
Attachment 3 
Page 5 of 21

Transportation – Street Maintenance Program Follow-up Review
Follow-up Review
6
What did
we find?
Status of recommendations from March 2023 report:
Develop and implement policies and procedures to 
address the following: 
o Monitor third-party contractors to ensure it collects 
required documentation (e.g., independent material test, 
temperature gauge calibration, and citizen notifications).
o Retain documentation of inspections. 
o Periodically review contracts to ensure terms and 
conditions are still applicable. 
Enforce or modify the terms and conditions of its 
third-party contracts. 
Implemented
Study Session 
January 22, 2026 
Attachment 3 
Page 6 of 21

Transportation – Street Maintenance Program Follow-up Review
Follow-up Review
7
What did
we find?
Status of recommendations from March 2023 report:
Develop and implement policies and procedures to 
address how City streets are prioritized for treatment, 
such as: 
o The forecasting process for identifying City streets that need 
treatment and documenting criteria used.
o Retain documentation of the process and any adjustments. 
o Review and approval of the streets selected for treatment.
o Periodic review of the process to ensure criteria is relevant 
and appropriate.
Implemented
Study Session 
January 22, 2026 
Attachment 3 
Page 7 of 21

Transportation – Street Maintenance Program Follow-up Review
Follow-up Review
8
What did
we find?
Status of recommendations from March 2023 report:
Develop and implement policies to address the 
following:
o The process for performing pavement condition surveys, 
including frequency and criteria. 
o Retain documentation to support the pavement condition 
data on record. 
o Review pavement condition data entered into the 
pavement management software to ensure it accurately 
reflects the pavement condition. 
Ensure user activity is logged in the department’s 
pavement management software to prevent or detect 
inappropriate changes to pavement condition data.
In Progress
Study Session 
January 22, 2026 
Attachment 3 
Page 8 of 21

Transportation – Street Maintenance Program Follow-up Review
Follow-up Review
9
What did
we find?
Status of recommendations from March 2023 report:
Perform monitoring procedures to ensure that pavement 
condition data provided by its third-party contractor is 
accurate and reliable including:
o
Retain documentation of procedures performed to 
demonstrate the pavement condition data was reviewed.
o
Verify the pavement condition data was properly uploaded into 
the pavement management system.
o
Request documentation of the quality control process and 
procedures performed.
Review its annual forecasting process, including the 
criteria used to prioritize which streets receive pavement 
treatment. In addition, review its budgeting process to 
ensure funding is allocated equitably for projects 
throughout the City.
In Progress
Study Session 
January 22, 2026 
Attachment 3 
Page 9 of 21

Transportation – Street Maintenance Program Follow-up Review
Follow-up Review
10
Follow-up
• We will perform a second follow-up review 
in approximately 1 year.
• We will remain engaged with the 
department throughout the process to help 
ensure successful implementation.
Study Session 
January 22, 2026 
Attachment 3 
Page 10 of 21

Citywide – Intergovernmental Agreements 
Cost Recovery Follow-up Review
Report Date: 1/6/2026
A follow-up review to ensure action plans were successfully 
implemented.
Study Session 
January 22, 2026 
Attachment 3 
Page 11 of 21

Citywide – Intergovernmental Agreements Cost Recovery Follow-up Review
Follow-up Review
12
What did
we find?
Status of recommendations from March 2025 report:
To comply with City Management Policy, departments 
should develop and implement a process to ensure all 
signed and executed IGAs are filed with Real Estate 
Services.  
To ensure costs are fully recovered, departments 
should develop and implement policies and 
procedures to address the following:
o The process for preparing invoices to ensure the proper 
amount, including only reimbursable costs, was invoiced. 
o The process for tracking payments to ensure all costs have 
been fully recovered.
Implemented
Study Session 
January 22, 2026 
Attachment 3 
Page 12 of 21

Human Resources – Hiring and Recruitment 
Practices
Report Date: 1/6/2026
An audit to determine whether hiring and recruitment 
practices are consistent with industry standards and are 
sufficient to comply with applicable policies, statutes, and 
other requirements.
Study Session 
January 22, 2026 
Attachment 3 
Page 13 of 21

Human Resources – Hiring and Recruitment Practices
Follow-up Review
14
What did
we audit 
and why?
•
Interviewed department personnel, performed walkthroughs 
of the department’s online recruitment system and reviewed 
policies and procedures.
•
Selected a sample of 40 job recruitments to determine 
whether the department complied with its policies and 
procedures.
•
Reviewed recruitment documentation to determine that 
qualified candidates were selected.
•
Analyzed job requisition data to compare time-to-hire 
metrics with industry standards.
•
Why? To determine whether the department’s hiring and 
recruitment practices are consistent with industry standards 
and comply with applicable policies, statutes, and other 
requirements.
Study Session 
January 22, 2026 
Attachment 3 
Page 14 of 21

Human Resources – Hiring and Recruitment Practices
Follow-up Review
15
What did
we find and 
recommend?
Policies and procedures for the hiring and recruiting process 
were not always followed.
Recommendation:
To ensure compliance with policies and procedures, HR should 
perform the following: 
o
Provide training to City departments of the requirements for 
selecting board members.
o
Retain all interview and testing documentation in their 
online recruitment system.
o
Require departments to provide documentation 
demonstrating that they verified all job requirements.
Study Session 
January 22, 2026 
Attachment 3 
Page 15 of 21

Human Resources – Hiring and Recruitment Practices
Follow-up Review
16
What did
we find and 
recommend?
Policies and procedures for the hiring and recruiting process 
were not always followed.
Recommendation:
To ensure the accuracy of the data entered into the online 
recruitment system, HR should develop and implement 
procedures to address the process for reviewing and properly 
entering interview scores for candidates.
Study Session 
January 22, 2026 
Attachment 3 
Page 16 of 21

Human Resources – Hiring and Recruitment Practices
Follow-up Review
17
Response and 
Follow-up
• Management agrees with the recommendations 
and is implementing a corrective action plan.  
• We will remain engaged with the department 
throughout the process to help ensure successful 
implementation.
• We will perform a follow-up review in 
approximately 1 year. 
Study Session 
January 22, 2026 
Attachment 3 
Page 17 of 21

City Attorney – VOCA Program
Report Date: 1/6/2026
An audit to determine whether effective controls are in 
place to properly administer the Victims of Crime Act Crime 
Victim Assistance Program in accordance with applicable 
policies, statutes, and other requirements.
Study Session 
January 22, 2026 
Attachment 3 
Page 18 of 21

City Attorney – VOCA Program
Follow-up Review
19
What did
we audit 
and why?
• Interviewed the Victim Services Administrator and 
reviewed policies and procedures to gain an 
understanding of the program.
• Reviewed DPS and federal grant requirements to 
determine the requirements of the program.
• Tested a sample of expenditures to ensure costs were 
allowable.
• Tested financial and programmatic reports to ensure 
they were complete, accurate, and adequately 
supported
• Why? To ensure effective controls were in place and the 
department complied with the program requirements.
Study Session 
January 22, 2026 
Attachment 3 
Page 19 of 21

City Attorney – VOCA Program-up Review
20
What did
we find and 
recommend?
In our opinion, effective controls are in place to ensure that 
the department administers the program in accordance with 
applicable policies, statutes, and other requirements.
Study Session 
January 22, 2026 
Attachment 3 
Page 20 of 21

Questions?
Study Session 
January 22, 2026 
Attachment 3 
Page 21 of 21