Comptroller: Sanitation Payment and Violations Systems Need Work
By TOMMY HALLISSEY
City Comptroller William C. Thompson, Jr. released two audits of the Department of Sanitation that showed the department issued payments without proper authorization and disregarded worker input in improving its violations system.

"My auditors have found some troubling practices within the Sanitation Department and it is my hope that they immediately implement my recommendations to ensure more efficient operations," Thompson said.

The first audit examined the Sanitation Department's Engineering Audit Office, which is responsible for performing individual audits of capital payments for a number of construction-related expenses. The Engineering Audit Office is also responsible for compliance with Comptroller Directive #7, which sets guidelines for pre-auditing payment requests for a variety of construction and related consultant contracts.

Lacked Documentation

The Sanitation Department issued $1.7 million in vouchers associated with change-orders not registered with the Comptroller's Office, according to Mr. Thompson. The Engineering Audit Office also paid vouchers that lacked substantiating documentation, vouchers whose amounts exceeded estimated costs and vouchers with change orders that lacked a required certification of cost reasonableness.

Mr. Thompson made 10 recommendations to the Department of Sanitation in regard to Comptroller Directive #7. The recommendations include Sanitation ceasing its practice of authorizing change-order voucher payments for change orders that were not registered and ensuring that all change orders are promptly registered with the Comptroller's Office.

"The Department of Sanitation appreciates the Comptroller's careful review and finding essentially that the department is conducting its procedures in a proper manner," said Kathy Dawkins, a spokeswoman for DSNY. "In this matter, the department has taken the Comptroller's audit very seriously and is working to correct deficiencies."

Workers Report System Flaws

On the same day, the Comptroller's Office released a second audit of Sanitation on its development and implementation of the notice of violation administration system. DSNY Enforcement Agents and Sanitation Police Officers have used a computerized system to streamline the summons-issuance and management process since 2006. While the Comptroller found the NOVAS system met overall goals, a survey found users had trouble with the system's functionality and productivity.

Mr. Thompson made eight recommendations to DSNY on July 7.

The recommendations address user concerns revealed in the Comptroller's survey. Mr. Thompson said DSNY should consider improving the screens of the handheld device, adding additional space in the violation detail section, deleting unused items and adding additional menu options.

"On NOVAS, the department has reviewed the Comptroller's audit and has incorporated those improvements recommended by the Comptroller's report into Sanitation's future releases and appropriate operating procedures," Ms. Dawkins said.