State staff outline 9-1-1 surcharge audit options; enterprise can request commission‑funded audits

Jolene, a state audit resource, explained the options for 9‑1‑1 surcharge audits and said she can assist the enterprise and local governing bodies. She told the board she had not prepared a formal packet but was willing to provide a sample letter and said she could perform audit assistance "at no cost to the enterprise whatsoever."

Board members asked whether the enterprise could assist local authorities that request audits of carriers. Daryl explained that commission rules include a petition process under which a governing body can request an audit and the commission can pay for it from administrative funds (the 4% the commission retains for administration). He said the rule in question is telecom rule 2153 (listed in the telecom rules at 4 CCR 723‑2‑2153) and noted the rules include a seldom‑used petition pathway; in practice, the commission staff runs periodic audits and can prioritize carriers for audit if a local authority provides a credible reason.

Jolene and Daryl described two practical paths: a local governing body can conduct or contract for an audit at its own expense, or it can ask the commission to undertake an audit at commission expense by petitioning under the established rules. If a local authority approaches the enterprise with concerns about carrier remittance, Daryl said the enterprise could relay that information to commission staff and request that a carrier be reviewed or moved up on the rotation.

There was no vote or formal action; staff provided the rule citation for follow‑up and said the enterprise could assist by referring requests to commission staff. The transcript records the rule citation for later minutes: "rule 2153 in the telecom rules, 4 CCR 723‑2‑2153."