Cambridge Auditing Department 795 Mass. Avenue Cambridge, MA 02139 Phone: (617) 349-4240 Hours: 8:30-5:00 Department Head: James A. Lindstrom, City Auditor
The Auditing Department is the "watchdog" for city spending, ensuring that all departmental expenditures correspond with state and federal laws, expenses are accounted for and well documented, and spending does not exceed the budgets determined by the City Council and City Manager.The department is also charged with the responsibility of preparing the City's public financial statements, and assisting the City Council in its review of the City budget. In addition, Auditing conducts independent analyses of the effectiveness of various City operations and programs. Finally, the City Auditor serves as the city's representative on the Retirement Board.
The six person staff audits all purchase orders, payroll and vendor warrants generated in the City. The Department also performs reconciliations and accounts payable functions. During fiscal year 1993, the Department processed over 80,000 vendor vouchers and schedules.
Other duties include the auditing of the federally funded Fuel Assistance Program. This program provides fuel assistance to qualified Cambridge and Somerville residents.
The Auditing Division continues to analyze daily reports generated from the City's accounting system.
The staff continues to work closely with Management Information Systems to update and implement more efficient procedures.
The Auditing Department is an internal function of the City and serves to process accounts payables for the various City departments. Therefore, a sample question from a vendor would be:
I have not received payment for the supplies I sent to a city department. What should I do?
Auditing needs the following information to sufficiently respond to this question: