Purpose of Audit

The purpose of our audit was to examine the City’s procedures for collecting and enforcing building violation fees and fines for the period January 1, 2012 through September 26, 2013.

Background

The City of Mount Vernon is located in Westchester County, has a population of approximately 68,000 and is governed by a five-member City Council. General fund budget appropriations for 2013 totaled approximately $93 million.

Key Findings

• The City did not resolve more than 80 percent of building violations issued during the audit period.
• The Law Department did not pursue collection for all unpaid building violation fines.

Key Recommendations

• Develop and implement Building Department policies and procedures to resolve building code violations.
• Establish procedures to enforce judgments and pursue fine collection to ensure that all fines are promptly collected.