Your Money Matters: Tulsa's new city auditor aims to increase community engagement

Tulsa's new city auditor, Nathan Pickard, was sworn in on Dec. 2 and is setting his sights on increasing community involvement in the auditing process. He discussed the new role with Dave Davis on Six In The Morning.

A New Approach to the Role

The city auditor's office is responsible for ensuring the city's resources are managed effectively and taxpayer dollars are used efficiently. Pickard wants to expand the office's role beyond traditional financial oversight.

"The office has always been very quiet, really looking at just what the objectives of the mayor and council are and then reviewing the performance of those," Pickard said. "What I'm interested in, as an elected office that's truly independently elected and run, is really listening to the people as well to hear their needs and then bring that into what we decide to audit."

Encouraging Public Participation

Pickard is working to increase awareness of the auditor's office and its role in city government.

"I think the first thing that I get is that nobody knows there is a city auditor that's independent, that's elected, and that's working for them to really keep a watch on the city's finances," he said. "But not just finances—our responsibility is the city's performance in general as well, to monitor that and report out on it."

To foster engagement, Pickard has launched social media accounts to inform residents about the office's work and provide a platform for feedback. He also plans to attend city council town halls to hear directly from the community.

Responsibilities of the Auditor's Office

The city auditor's office operates under the city charter, which mandates a review of all city accounts. Traditionally, this has been a major focus, but Pickard notes that external audits now cover much of that work. Instead, his office focuses on internal audits, which assess the city's objectives, identify risks, and evaluate controls in place to mitigate those risks.

Internal vs. External Audits

External audits are conducted annually by an independent firm to verify the accuracy of the city's financial statements.

"They have their way of testing all of the accounts to make sure the financial statements are not materially misstated," Pickard said. "So that the citizens can look at the financial statements of the city and trust that they were created properly."

Internal audits, however, focus on city processes and performance to ensure government operations are meeting the needs of residents.

How Citizens Can Get Involved

Pickard is working to make it easier for residents to provide input on what should be audited. Traditionally, risk assessments were based on discussions with department heads and employee surveys. Now, he wants to broaden that scope to include direct community feedback.

"That's why we're really trying to engage with the website, with socials, to hear what the citizens' needs are," he said. "I'm going to the town halls of the city councilors. Really want to hear what the needs are of the citizens, and then, as we develop our annual audit plan, all of those things will be taken into account as well."

Residents can connect with the Tulsa City Auditor's office through social media on Facebook, Instagram, X, and LinkedIn. A website is in development, and the existing city page includes an ethics hotline where individuals can report concerns about unethical actions.

As Pickard embarks on his two-year term, he remains focused on ensuring transparency, efficiency, and community involvement in the city's auditing process.