Audit Reveals Disorganization At Forest Preserve District
CHICAGO (CBS) -- An audit of the Cook County Forest Preserve District found employees without clear job descriptions, duplicating tasks and working without the proper equipment.
A private audit ordered by County Board President Toni Preckwinkle found more than 70 percent of maintenance employees weren't sure who their direct supervisor was.
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Other findings included performance reviews were not conducted in 15 years, employees were using their own tools to do their jobs and the district's technology is stuck in the late 1980s, according Superintendent Arnold Randall.
Preckwinkle called the audit a "tough but fair critique" of the district, which has long been considered a patronage haven.
Randall says some of the 118 audit recommendations will be implemented right away, including: giving employees updated software, swipe cards to sign in and out, email addresses, annual reviews and more training.
He said it was not clear what the changes would cost.
Some managers may find themselves working on the front lines. Randall says the report indicates "shifting some of our resources from management level or administrative functions into the people who actually do the work is a wise direction."
