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Work Program 2025
The King County Auditor’s Office was created by charter in 1969 as an independent agency within the legislative branch of county government. The office conducts oversight of county government through independent audits, capital projects oversight, and other studies. The results of this work are presented to the Metropolitan King County Council and are communicated to the King County Executive and the public. The King County Auditor’s Office performs its work in accordance with Government Auditing Standards.
Performance Audits
| PROJECT NAME | FOCUS |
|---|---|
| General Audit Topics | |
|
Artificial Intelligence Use |
Evaluate the use of artificial intelligence — scope may include generative artificial intelligence guidance or application |
|
Assessor |
Evaluate the Assessor’s Office — scope may include construction capacity, tax abatements, and/or residential appraisal |
|
Business Resource Center |
Evaluate the efficiency and effectiveness of the work of the Business Resource Center or its successor |
|
Customer Service |
Evaluate to what extent King County has implemented county-level customer service leading practices, outlined in our 2021 technical paper and 2025 letter |
|
Environmental Health |
Evaluate the Environmental Health Division of the Department of Public Health – Seattle & King County — scope may include the food protection program and/or fiscal sustainability |
|
Extreme Weather Preparedness |
Evaluate the extent to which King County is prepared for extreme weather events — scope may include wildfires, smoke mitigation, and/or landslides |
|
Facilities Management Division |
Evaluate the Facilities Management Division of the Department of Executive Services — scope may include lease management or other emerging issues |
|
Internal Controls Series |
A series of audits that focus on internal controls such as contract management, payroll, accounts payable, reimbursements, and cash handling |
|
Land Conservation Initiative |
Evaluate the internal controls framework for the Conservation Futures program |
|
Procurement |
Evaluate the Procurement and Payables Section within the Department of Executive Services |
|
Project Management Office |
Evaluate the Project Management Office in the King County Department of Information Technology |
|
Regional Homelessness Response |
Evaluate King County’s regional homelessness response — scope to be defined as the homeless care environment in King County stabilizes |
| Capital-Focused Audits | |
|
Construction Contract Management |
Evaluate contract management policies and practices for construction contracts across King County capital projects |
|
Capital Project Cost Growth |
Identify causes of consistent county-wide cost growth across King County capital projects |
| Criminal Legal Audits | |
|
Adult Detention |
Evaluate adult detention — scope may include discipline and/or classification |
|
Field Training Program |
Evaluate the Field Training Program in the King County Sheriff’s Office |
|
Sheriff Overtime |
Evaluate the status of incomplete recommendations from our 2017 audit and identify key drivers of current overtime costs — This work could be conducted as a study, rather than an audit or the objectives could be incorporated into a different audit |
|
Time to Case Resolution |
Evaluate data from criminal legal agencies to provide transparency into legal case timelines and impacts |
|
Emerging Criminal Legal Issues |
Monitor criminal legal issues and identify high-risk or emerging areas of policy-maker concern for analysis |
| Transportation Audits | |
|
Paratransit |
Evaluate Paratransit — scope may include service area and/or risk and cost management |
|
Rider Experience |
Evaluate Metro Transit’s rider experience — scope may include system cleanliness and/or safety and security at transit stops and on coaches |
|
EEO Office |
Evaluate the Office of Equal Employment Opportunity within Metro Transit |
|
Emerging Issues in Metro Transit |
Monitor transportation issues and identify high-risk or emerging areas of policy-maker concern for analysis. Topics may include coach safety, advanced service management, and/or non-fare revenues. |
Capital Projects Oversight
Direct Project Oversight:
- Harborview Project Oversight
- Mouth of the Duwamish Wet Weather Facilities Program
General Oversight Activities:
- Follow-up of past recommendations
- Monitoring of high-risk capital programs and projects, and communicating concerns
- Project risk scoring
- Solid Waste Capital Program and Long-Term Disposal Options Decision
- Wastewater Treatment Program Planning
Other Activities
- Council-requested feasibility report on qui tam, inspector general, and contract oversight
- Audit follow-ups
- Peer review
Grant/Contract Testing:
- Public Health – Seattle & King County
- Department of Community and Human Services
Criteria Papers:
- Succession planning
- Data collection, management