Prince George’s County’s Transportation, Infrastructure, Energy & Environment (TIE) Committee voted Nov. 13 to forward a councilmember request for a performance audit of the Department of Permitting, Inspections and Enforcement (DPIE) to the full County Council.

Council member Hawkins, the sponsor, said his Sept. 26 letter asked the Prince George’s County auditor to perform “a performance audit of the various processes, policies, and practices involved in obtaining any permit granted by the government,” allowing the auditor to retain independent experts and requesting completion within 180 days. "It would help the new county executive in her administration have a better view of what's going on in DPIE," Hawkins said during the committee meeting.

Vice Chair Harrison and Chair Olsen backed advancing the request so the entire council could review it and hear from county-executive staff. Members questioned whether an outside firm would be needed, what type of audit (efficiency, performance, or forensic) was intended, and how much an audit would cost. Harrison noted the county has no permanent county auditor at present and said a comprehensive outside audit might be needed to identify “where the holes are.”

The committee first voted to add the audit request to the meeting agenda and then considered a motion to advance it to the full council "with no recommendation." The roll-call recorded two ayes and one no; staff later clarified that a majority of members present (2 of 3) constitutes approval under committee rules, so the committee’s action was recorded as favorable by majority.

County executive staff told the committee they had not seen the matter in advance and took no formal position during the meeting. Hawkins said the aim is not to punish DPIE employees but to ‘‘give a professional outside look’’ to determine whether DPIE’s grouped responsibilities should remain together or be restructured.

Next steps: The request will be placed on the full County Council agenda for consideration, where councilmembers may refine scope, ask for cost estimates, and direct the county auditor (or an outside firm, if authorized) on procurement and timing.

Actions recorded at the committee: the committee added the audit request to today’s agenda and voted to forward the audit request to the full council with no recommendation (majority vote recorded).