There are some problems with the way Clark County Public Works handles its high-risk equipment and materials, an internal audit of the program found.
The audit, which will be released in full this week, is the subject of one of two Clark County council workshops beginning at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday. The council also will discuss a resolution that could extend land-use permits that were affected by the Great Recession.
A county news release reports that the auditor’s office analyzed how high-risk equipment, including high-value tools and traffic computer components, are handled at the 78th Street Operations Center.
The audit found that control of high-risk tools was “moderately effective.” Public Works was able to account for all items except one, according to the news release.
Public Meetings
• What: Clark County council workshops on an internal audit and extending land-use permits.
• When: 9:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. respectively Wednesday.
• Where: Clark County Public Service Center, sixth-floor training room, 1300 Franklin St., Vancouver.
Meanwhile, the county’s control of components and supplies was found to be “marginally effective,” with better oversight needed for fuel management.
Overall, auditors found the facility security itself is “noneffective,” reporting there are long-term vulnerabilities in physical security and software at the county building.
“We are working closely with Public Works to find solutions, reduce risks of loss, and make sure public property is properly managed,” Auditor Greg Kimsey said in a statement.
In a separate workshop, the county will discuss a resolution that would extend land-use permits for developers whose projects were slowed by the recession.
Community Development Director Marty Snell said some proposed developments are still held over from the economic downturn, and the resolution, if approved, would give developers another year to start work on their projects. Most local governments in Washington granted such extensions through the recession; this latest resolution would be more on top of that, Snell said.
“It was just to recognize that a lot of projects were approved, then they didn’t pull the trigger, or they were approved and the economy just collapsed,” Snell said.
When he spoke to The Columbian, Snell was still compiling research on how many projects could be affected by the resolution.
The county councilors considered the resolution at a meeting on Sept. 13, but asked Snell for more information before making a decision.
