City reworks auditor position

Carson City officials have reworked their requirements for an internal auditor, and after nine months without one they will fill the position.

However, city supervisors worry the salary for the position may be too low to attract the right candidate.

The internal auditor is the only city employee who reports directly to the Board of Supervisors instead of City Manager John Berkich. The city's charter mandates the position, and a 1987 grand jury report censured the city for not having an internal auditor.

Traditionally, the auditor's job has been making sure city departments are complying with city financial rules.

However, after Gary Kulikowski left the position in Aug. 2001, Supervisor Richard Staub suggested the city leave financial monitoring to the city's finance department and have the auditor focus on each city department's operating efficiency.

The new auditor will still monitor city finances but will spend more time analyzing city policies, procedures and programs to make sure the city is operating as efficiently as possible.

Staub and Supervisor Pete Livermore worked on the job description, studying the position in 12 cities similar to Carson in size.

"We tried to look at an individual who could count the beans, but someone who could evaluate the efficiencies of agencies," Staub said.

The position will pay just over $47,000 with merit increases to nearly $66,000. Supervisor Jon Plank and Mayor Ray Masayko worried the salary is too low.

Staub, Livermore and Berkich also recommended creating an audit committee to work with the auditor on projects, but Masayko said he was concerned about having non-city staff serve on the committee.