City Manager's Office

Primary Functions and Activities of the City Manager

Fort Lauderdale's City Manager is responsible for the operation of all City departments. In addition to the manager's duties of providing leadership, direction and guidance to the City departments, the manager performs several other important functions, including the preparation of the City's annual operating budget and lobbying the State Legislature for favorable consideration of City funding and legislative requests.

Administration

Administration provides general guidance and management to City departments, executes commission policy, facilitates development of the Mission Statement and the City's long range goals and objectives, coordinates City efforts to accomplish cost savings and increased efficiencies, and prepares Federal and State Legislative Programs, including active lobbying.

Grants, Legislative Affairs, and Compliance

Correspondence should be addressed to:

Grants, Legislative Affairs and Compliance
101 NE 3rd Avenue
Suite 1400
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301

Description of Division and Activities: The Office of Grants, Legislative Affairs and Compliance researches, develops, administers, tracks and monitors compliance of citywide grants. The Office supports City management by conducting financial, compliance, and performance audits. The office facilitates and coordinates the City’s State/Federal Legislative programs, including lobbying services.

Goal: Minimize impacts to due to property tax cuts by the State of Florida/maintain the City’s financial position.

Objectives:

1. Develop and implement a strategy to procure funds to supplement ad valorem tax revenues, to provide programs and services that the community desires as directed by the City Commission and identified through the Budget and CIP processes.
2. Acquire grants and appropriations from County, State and Federal Government.
3. Develop and lobby for the City’s annual State and Federal legislative agenda.
4. Conduct financial, performance, and compliance audits/reviews with sound audit/compliance reports to City Management and the City Commission, which include recommendations to promote compliance and efficient and effective use of City resources and operations for the citizens of Fort Lauderdale.
5. Determine compliance with various requirements in the grant agreements and provide Special Reports, including financial statements to the granting agency.

American Recovery and Reinvestment Act: The office is responsible for submitting all of City’s ARRA grants to the Federal Government (www.federalreporting.gov). For additional information, please visit the City’s Recovery website, www.fortlauderdale.gov/recovery.

Compliance

The Compliance Division (previously Internal Audit, a division of the former Office of Management and Budget Department) was established on October 1, 2010.

The Compliance Division is an independent appraisal function established as a service to management to conduct performance, financial, and compliance audits/reviews, to provide accountability to the public, and to promote the efficient and effective use of City resources and operations. Compliance is committed to performing value-added, risk-based audits/reviews, designed to independently review, test, and evaluate the financial and operational controls throughout the City. In this capacity, the Compliance Division conducts financial, operational, information systems, and performance audits/reviews. In addition, auditors provide consulting services, conduct special investigations, and respond to management requests. To this end, Compliance furnishes management with analyses, appraisals, recommendations, counsel, and information concerning the activities reviewed.

The Compliance Division verifies a number of processes involved in the management of the City’s grants, such as verification of compliance with Davis-Bacon Act, Buy American, HIPAA Security Rule, Drug Free Workplace, Non-Discriminating, Lobbying Restrictions, Lead Hazard Abatement, reporting requirements, sub recipient monitoring, vendor suspension and debarment, competitive bid process for services procured, meeting spending deadlines and performance/milestones, verifying the existence and adequacy of policies and procedures, etc. 

Compliance provides the following services:

Financial - Review of the reliability and integrity of financial and operating information and reports.

Compliance - Examine systems established to ensure compliance with plans, policies, procedures, laws and regulations.

Operations/Management - Appraise the economy and efficiency of resources employed. Determine if process is consistent with department's goals and objectives.

Safeguard Assets - Review procedures that safeguard City assets. Verify existence and usage.

Consulting/Business Conduct - Provide independent advice on how to develop internal controls of programs. Review and evaluate whether business conduct was in accordance with and related to the City of Fort Lauderdale ordinances, policies and regulations.

The Audit/Compliance Process

1. A Preliminary Survey takes place in the form of a meeting with the department to discuss concerns and establish the general purpose and scope of the audit/review. A questionnaire is generally used to gather background information and determine what information needs to be examined.
2. The fieldwork consists of additional interviews, making visual observations, asking questions and reviewing written documentation. During this work, possible control improvements may be identified and discussed with auditee/Grants Administration staff. (Preliminary survey and fieldwork may be done during the same visit.)
3. The auditor/reviewer examines the information gathered from the fieldwork and prepares written workpapers that detail this information. Workpapers are carefully reviewed to ensure all parts of the program have been examined and the draft report addresses concerns raised from the fieldwork.
4. A draft report evaluates program control strengths and weaknesses and requests management's written comments on all findings and recommendations.
5. The final report includes management's written comments and plan for implementing recommendations from findings or observations stated in the report.

Audit/Compliance Reports

Audit/Compliance Reports from FY 2003 to present are available online. Audit reports are released only after they become final according to the Florida Public Records Law (see Chapter 119.07, Florida Statutes).