City aces performance audit
Spokane Valley’s compliance with state public disclosure laws was among the best in secret test, a state performance audit manager told the City Council Tuesday.
City officials not only got it right, but got it fast in a statewide audit of how government agencies respond to requests for public information.
Audit manager Justin Flaa said Spokane Valley was the fastest of 10 cities the state Auditor’s Office tested between November 2006 and this March. Spokane Valley officials delivered the documents faster than average on nine of 10 requests.
What’s more Spokane Valley, like four other cities, turned over the correct documents in every case. In comparison, Spokane was faster than average on four requests and got it right eight times out of 10.
Vancouver was second-best with eight faster-than-average responses and 10 correct ones. Seattle was last with just two in each category.
Ten counties and 10 state agencies also were tested, and Spokane County led its category with seven faster-than-average responses and nine correct responses.
All 30 government agencies were given 10 identical requests in a variety of ways, including letters, e-mail and personal contacts.
Among all 30 agencies, only the state Department of General Administration scored higher, with a perfect pair of 10s for above-average speed in its category and accuracy.
Flaa said 31 of the 300 test requests got no response at all and seven more requests weren’t satisfied.
In addition to speed and accuracy, Flaa said auditors examined government officials’ customer service. Spokane Valley got “above-and-beyond” credit for asking the requestors whether they received what they wanted.
“We had absolutely no exception with the performance of Spokane Valley,” Flaa said. “You did well.”
He said the only thing the Auditor’s Office could suggest would be a way to submit requests directly from the city’s Web site, which contains a public records request form that can be printed and mailed.
The test was conducted under a 2005 initiative law that requires the state auditor to analyze the results and recommend “best practices.”
Governments that are audited must conduct a public hearing within 30 days of getting the results. They also must consider the auditor’s recommendations and file reports every July 1 on how they have responded to the recommendations, Flaa said.
“In your case, it’s going to be an easy report to generate because so many of the recommendations don’t apply to you,” he said. “But it does provide you an opportunity to pat yourself on the back.”
Tuesday’s meeting was opportunity enough for the City Council.
“We are very proud of the fact that we came out of this looking like we did,” Mayor Rich Munson said.
City Clerk Chris Bainbridge, the city’s public disclosure officer, was singled out for an attagirl. She handles requests “evenhandedly” and “in a very professional manner,” Munson said.
Deputy Clerk Carrie Acosta also got a mention for maintaining the database that allows city officials to track disclosure requests, and Munson directed a “special thank-you” to the city legal staff for guiding development of the Spokane Valley’s disclosure procedures.
City Attorney Mike Connelly is a former chairman of the state Public Disclosure Commission. In addition to training staff members, he gave council members some pointers at one of their study sessions earlier this year.