\t\t\t\tDeputy City Auditor Jason Hadavi was tapped to take over as Austin’s next city auditor starting in January.<\/p>\n
What’s happening<\/p>\n
Austin’s city auditor<\/a> is appointed by City Council to oversee<\/a> internal reporting on a variety of government operations and financial issues.<\/p>\n This year, city auditors analyzed topics like the Austin Police Department’s recruitment efforts<\/a> and use<\/a> of automated license plate readers<\/a>, city spending on nonprofit partnerships<\/a>, water infrastructure maintenance<\/a>, and local responses<\/a> to pedestrian crashes. Auditors also regularly investigate<\/a> ethics issues like misuse of city resources and conflicts of interest.<\/p>\n After longtime City Auditor Corrie Stokes announced she’d be departing the role earlier this year, city officials began the search<\/a> for her successor. That process led to Hadavi’s selection this fall when members of council’s audit committee recommended him for the role following interviews with three finalists.<\/p>\n The full council voted on Oct. 24 to have Hadavi’s compensation and benefits negotiated<\/a> by recruitment firm Ralph Andersen & Associates<\/a>, and that package will be formally approved<\/a> Nov. 6. Mayor Kirk Watson noted excitement around the selection after council advanced the process in October.<\/p>\n “I think everybody is going to be sad to see Corrie go, but I anticipate we\u2019re going to be very pleased that we\u2019re elevating our deputy city auditor to the position of city auditor,” he said.<\/p>\n Hadavi was chosen over candidates<\/a> Spencer Bright, an internal audit manager for the Port of Seattle, and Suresh George, Citibank’s senior vice president of quality assurance in New York. In his application<\/a> for the role, Hadavi highlighted his nearly two-decade career at the city including management of the auditor’s office as key experience for the role.<\/p>\n “My passion for public service and love of Austin have made [the Office of the City Auditor] feel like home. While serving its residents, one learns about Austin’s unique culture and operations. Community engagement in Austin takes on a different meaning than in other cities. Having developed the last few annual audit plans for my office, I am well versed in the challenges Austin faces, and more importantly, I understand how to help,” he wrote.<\/p>\n Following council’s October vote, Hadavi spoke with Community Impact about his upcoming appointment and plans for the job. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.<\/p>\n What are your thoughts about council’s decision?<\/p>\n It feels great. I\u2019m honored to be able to take over this role from Corrie. It\u2019s really big shoes to fill. … She\u2019s been here a long time\u2014she\u2019s been city auditor for 10 years now. And just based on the work we do with our professional organizations I can see she\u2019s absolutely one of the best in the country.<\/p>\n While there\u2019s still big shoes to fill, I feel confident because she\u2019s left the office in a great space, so there\u2019s not a lot of work to do with refixing or changing what we do, just to keep the momentum. We\u2019re different people so there\u2019ll be some subtle differences here and there, but I don\u2019t anticipate any major shifts.<\/p>\n What’s your approach to this role?<\/p>\n We want to make Austin better. Austin\u2019s a great place, it\u2019s a unique city, it\u2019s a city that I care deeply for. Our whole philosophy is just to try to make it a little bit better, make it work a little bit better for all of its residents, whatever the topic that we\u2019re auditing. Whether we\u2019re talking about parks, public safety, transportation, utilities, anything, we just want to help it be a little bit better than it already is.<\/p>\n