ACME review finds no fraud in Long Center contract, recommends performance metrics and transparency changes

Morgan Messick, assistant director at ACME, presented an internal contract review and desk audit of the City’s third‑party grant administrator relationship with the Long Center. Messick summarized what the review found as strengths (rapid deployment capability, payment-processing efficiency, Submittable familiarity and reduced purchaser burden) and areas needing improvement (lack of performance metrics tied to administrative fees, blurred oversight lines, and limited benchmarking of cost effectiveness).

Messick said staff will pursue immediate governance improvements such as clearer roles and responsibilities, quarterly contract meetings, documented meeting minutes and baseline operational performance measures. "We are working on a contract amendment to introduce performance expectations and clearer reporting standards," he said.

Staff presented options for the longer term: maintain and improve the existing contract with the Long Center; issue a new RFQ/RFP when the contract is due (staff said the current Long Center contract runs through 2028); hire an external auditor to benchmark costs and validate findings; or plan a phased, multi‑year transition to bring administration in‑house if council supports hiring and technology investment. Messick and Laura Odegard said bringing administration fully in‑house would require several budget cycles to add staff and systems and could take years to implement.

Commissioners repeatedly asked whether the review uncovered wrongdoing. Messick replied directly: "No." Laura Odegard told commissioners the department's contract manager found no financial fraud; staff proposed adding external audit layers and more transparent invoice breakdowns to bolster public trust.

The commission directed staff to return with updates as the appeals and procurement timelines evolve and to continue planning for performance metrics and improved reporting.