Arlington County’s auditor will spend part of the coming year evaluating whether local flood resilience plans and expenditures are achieving the desired effect.
A look at the Department of Environmental Services’ efforts to safeguard against flooding has been included in auditor Wayne Scott’s fiscal year 2026 work plan. County Board members adopted the plan at their Tuesday meeting.
Scott said he plans to begin the audit during the second quarter of the fiscal year, which runs from October to December 2025.
The goal will be “making sure that we’re following up and that we’re monitoring and operating within those recommendations” made in the wake of catastrophic July 2019 flooding, Scott told Board members.
It is just one of several audits Scott will conduct in the coming year.
His office will also be following up on past audits where unresolved issues remain. Those include audits examining public-safety overtime, housing grants and contract management for technology services.
As auditor, Scott is one of the few county staff members reporting directly to the County Board rather than County Manager Mark Schwartz. The position was established in 2015, and Scott was hired to fill a vacancy in July 2024.
At the July 22 meeting, Board members said they were pleased with what Scott had accomplished over the past year.
“We had very high hopes for you, and you have smashed through everything,” Board member Maureen Coffey said.
The county government also has an Audit Committee, which includes Coffey, fellow Board member Susan Cunningham, county staff and the public. It meets quarterly for updates, with the next meeting slated for late September.
Funding will aid after-school learning initiative: Board members voted to award an additional $16,600 in funding to support Aspire! Afterschool Learning on Tuesday.
The funding is in addition to approximately $150,000 granted to the social safety net organization this fiscal year as part of the RACE (Realizing Arlington’s Commitment to Equity) initiative.
The additional cash will provide a stopgap to the organization, which has lost federal funding that provided AmeriCorps personnel to teach in Aspire’s program.
Community center’s centennial lauded: Board members also adopted a resolution honoring the centennial of the Lyon Park Community Center.
The privately owned facility is “a true, true treasure of our community,” Board Chair Takis Karantonis said.
Opened in 1925, the facility can be rented by both Lyon Park residents and others for events.
