[Nfb-or] Oregonian article re: CFB

[T. Joseph Carter]

The article can be found here:
http://www.oregonlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2011/09/new_audit_finds_more_problems.html

The text of the article follows:

New audit finds more problems at the Oregon Commission for the Blind
By Michelle Cole, The Oregonian

After 16 years of pointing out problems with the Oregon Commission 
for the Blind, state auditors have run out of patience. 

The Secretary of State's audits division, in a report obtained by The 
Oregonian and scheduled for release today, identifies a "pattern of 
fiscal irresponsibility" that includes sloppy bookkeeping, 
questionable use of state cars and inattentive management. For 
example, auditors asked, why did the commission spend $3,500 for 
dragon boat races and $56 on student pedicures? 

Operating on a $15.6 million two-year budget, the commission offers a 
range of education and employment programs for blind Oregonians. 
Supporters point out that the agency does a lot of good for some of 
the state's most vulnerable. 

But the agency also has a string of bad audits dating back to 1995 
and pointing to weak fiscal oversight. 

In the latest report, auditors found "little improvement" since they 
examined the agency in 2009. In fact, they noted, there was "far 
less" improvement than the agency's managers reported to the state 
Legislature earlier this year. 

Linda Mock, administrator for the Commission, acknowledged Tuesday 
that there is room for improvement, adding that a smaller staff has 
had to focus on services more than administration. 

"I view the audit process as something designed to help us be as 
efficient as possible," she said. She defended the spending on dragon 
boat races as part of the agency's mission to educate the public 
about the blind and their abilities. 

The 24-page audit report points to a long, "to-do" list. 

For example auditors note the agency had developed a system to track 
revenues generated by blind managers who operate vending machines and 
cafeterias in public buildings statewide. But they found the new 
system was "not up to date, complete or accurate." 

Auditors also questioned the agency's spending decisions. In addition 
to the dragon boat races and pedicures, they found travel expenses 
lacked receipts and, over several months, commission employees spent 
$7,500 on groceries for cooking classes but did not document which 
classes the food was for. 

Auditors also looked at how much the agency spent on cars and cell 
phones for employees. 

They found three agency employees used state cars to commute, 
including one who lived nine miles from the office. According to 
auditors' calculations, the agency paid $4,287 per vehicle for 13 
vehicles it leased from the state. "We question whether the vehicle 
use is appropriate and benefits the state," they wrote. 

The report credits the agency for developing a tracking form to keep 
tabs on state-owned cell phones and computers. But auditors also 
found computer lists were out of date and that the agency did not 
review its monthly cell phone bills. 

In the past, auditors have delivered their findings to the commission 
staff. This time, Blackmer says, they have directed their report to 
the all-volunteer commission responsible, by law, for overseeing the 
agency. 

"We haven't been getting the kind of change we felt was appropriate," 
he said. "This time we've gone above the director's head to ask for a 
response." 

Commission chairwoman Jodi Roth defended the agency in a letter to 
the Secretary of State and expressed "concerns with the objectivity 
of the (audit) report." 

In an interview Tuesday, Roth said she felt the agency is doing the 
best it can with a "skeleton staff." But, she added, "I definitely 
think that the business practices need to be tightened up." 

  -- Michelle Cole 

End of article.

This sidebar accompanies the article:

Audit
» Secretary of State's draft audit of Oregon Commission for the Blind
http://media.oregonlive.com/politics_impact/other/OCB_Draft%20Report%209-23.pdf

» Oregon Commission for the Blind's response to draft audit.
There's nothing criminal in the findings, Gary Blackmer, audits 
division director, said Tuesday. "It's the pattern that we're most 
concerned about and we're concerned that there are lots of needy 
clients out there who could be served with more prudent spending." 
http://media.oregonlive.com/politics_impact/other/2011%20OCB%20Response%20to%20Audit%20Recommendations%20Follow-up.pdf

End of sidebar.

And the final audit report was released this morning, you can get it 
here:
http://www.sos.state.or.us/audits/pages/state_audits/full/2011/2011-20.pdf

Fasten your seatbelts, folks!  It's going to get bumpy from here.

Joseph