§ 2-481. Access to information.

The Commission Auditor shall have read-only access to any and all financial, data, and reporting systems of the County and access to all books, records, memoranda and other documents, including both those internally or externally created, of all departments, boards, agencies, and other entities of the County. To the extent such information is required by law to remain confidential and/or exempt from disclosure, such information shall also be maintained by the Commission Auditor as confidential and/or exempt. Access to such information shall be provided to the Commission Auditor within five (5) business days from the date of the Commission Auditor's request; provided, however, if it is not reasonably possible to comply with the Commission Auditor's request within five (5) business days, then access to the requested information shall be provided within the limited reasonable time necessary to retrieve the information. The information must be provided in the medium requested if the record is maintained in that medium. The Commission Auditor may make direct inquiries of any officer, agent, or employee of any department, board, agency or other County entity to clarify matters under his or her purview. It shall be a policy of this Board that such officer, agent or employee shall respond to such inquiries and shall not knowingly omit significant facts when presenting the requested information. The Commission Auditor may require the appearance of any officer, agent or employee of any department, board, agency or other entity for the purpose of examining that person under oath or affirmation. All contracts with outside contractors and subcontractors shall provide for access by the Commission Auditor to all financial and performance related records, property, and equipment purchased in whole or in part with governmental funds. The Commission Auditor shall have the power to summon any person to be examined under oath or affirmation. The Commission Auditor, or an assistant, may administer an oath or affirmation. The Commission Auditor may issue necessary process, including a subpoena or subpoena duces tecum, to compel attendance or the production of documents or other things. Prior to issuing a subpoena, the Commission Auditor shall notify the State Attorney and the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida. The Commission Auditor shall not interfere with any ongoing investigation of the State Attorney or the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida where the State Attorney or the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida has explicitly notified the Commission Auditor in writing that the Commission Auditor's investigation is interfering with an ongoing criminal investigation.

(Ord. No. 03-2, § 11, 1-23-03; Ord. No. 08-08, § 2, 1-10-08; Ord. No. 10-46, § 1, 7-8-10)