Re: “‘Damning audit’ begs the question: Who is protecting taxpayer interests in King County?” (Aug. 29, Opinion):
I retired in 2018 after 14 years of managing public grant funds at a nonprofit organization in Snohomish County. After reading about the inexcusable lack of oversight and accountability by King County Department of Community and Human Services in managing funds distributed to community groups, I have a renewed appreciation for the Snohomish County Human Services Department, and particularly the staff I worked with from the Office of Community and Homeless Services.
Their monitoring of our use of public funds was done closely, professionally, at regular and predictable intervals, and in a spirit of partnership. They facilitated our responsible use of public funds in a context of rules and regulations that could be complicated, cumbersome and sometimes downright annoying, and were there for a reason — the bottom line of accountability to taxpayers and the community.
King County must do better.
Deborah Hyman, Seattle
