The New York-New Jersey Intergovernmental Audit Forum (NYNJIAF) serves New York, New Jersey, Puerto Rico, and the United States Virgin Islands. The primary purpose of the Forum is to promote communication, coordination, and cooperation among the federal, state, and local audit agencies throughout our region to foster effectiveness and efficiency of governmental operations.
NYNJIAF Executive Committee
Forum Chair
GORDON TAYLOR, ESQ
City University of NY
Past Forum Chair
KENRICK SIFONTES
NYS Comptroller’s Office
Vice Chair
VACANT
Member at Large
DORAL HILL
Assistant Regional Inspector General for Audit
U.S. Department of Education, Office of the Inspector General (ED-OIG)
Doral.Hill@ed.gov
(646) 428-3875
Executive Director
M. MORNING F. WASHBURN
U.S. Government Accountability Office
441 G Street NW
Washington, D.C. 20548
WashburnM@gao.gov
(202) 997-5524
NYNJIAF Charter
ARTICLE I – NAME AND OBJECTIVES
Section 1: Name and Purpose
In recognition of the mutual concern and common interests to achieve better coordination and to expand the usefulness of Federal, State and Local government audit functions there is hereby created the New York/New Jersey Intergovernmental Audit Forum. This Forum shall include the government audit organizations in the states of New York, New Jersey and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and the territory of the Virgin Islands. The Forum will have no decision-making authority to bind Federal, State and Local government organizations represented; however, all members actively support a policy of coordination and cooperation.
Section 2: Objectives
The objectives of the Forum are:
- To bring together Federal, State, Local and other government audit executives whose primary duties involve auditing of government entities in order to improve coordination and cooperation.
- To encourage and provide opportunities for the free interchange of information and ideas regarding the full range of professional and administrative activities undertaken by government audit officials.
- To contribute to the improvement of education and training available to government auditors.
- To improve the quality of auditing in government.
- To encourage improved efficiency and usefulness of audits at all levels of government, and in so doing, avoid duplication and overlap.
- To promote the highest standards of professional ethics.
ARTICLE II – FORUM ORGANIZATION
Section 1: Officers and National Forum Representatives
The Forum officers shall be the Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson.
- Elections shall be held at the first regularly scheduled meeting after October 1 in even in even numbered years. Officers shall continue in office until their successors are elected. numbered years. Officers shall continue in office until their successors are elected.
- The Chairperson shall be the prior period’s Vice-Chairperson and shall serve one full term of office (two years) in addition to any period which he/she filled to complete the term of the prior Chairperson.
- The Vice-Chairperson shall be elected for a two year term.
- State and Local representatives and their alternates to the National Forum shall be selected to serve two year terms by a vote of the Executive Committee. The Forum Chairperson will serve on the regional chairs committee of the National Intergovernmental Audit Forum.
Section 2: Executive Committee
The Executive Committee shall be the governing body of the Forum and shall be comprised of a maximum of 12 voting members (at least 3 each from Federal, State and Local audit organizations) and 1 associate member, including the following:
- The Chairperson
- The Vice-Chairperson
- Other full members and 1 associate member selected by the Chairperson
- The National Forum Representatives
- A representative of the General Accounting Office (ex-officio)
- The Executive Director (ex-officio)
- Meetings of the Executive Committee shall be held at the call of Chairperson or any three (3) members of the Committee. A quorum shall be a simple majority of voting Committee members present.
- The Chairperson shall preside at all meetings. In the Chairperson’s absence, the officer to preside shall be the Vice-Chairperson.
- The Executive Committee shall:
- Promulgate the policies and programs of the Forum, when necessary
- Review all actions of the Forum’s Committees and Task Forces
- Perform such other business as may be deemed appropriate.
Section 3: Other Committees, Subcommittees and Task Forces
- The Chairperson, with the approval of the Executive Committee may establish Committees and Task Forces to assist in carrying out the programs and operations of the Forum.
- All members of a Committee or Task Force shall be Forum members. The Chairperson shall determine the number of persons to be assigned to each Committee and Task Force and designate the Chairperson.
- The Nominating Committee shall consist of the Vice-Chairperson, a Past Chairperson (when available) appointed by the Chairperson, and one full Forum member selected by the Executive Committee. If a Past Chairperson is unavailable, a second full member may be appointed by the current Chairperson. The Chairperson shall appoint the Chairperson of the Committee from among its members.
Section 4: Executive Director
The Forum shall include a permanent position of Executive Director, who is selected by the Executive Committee. The Executive Director shall be an ex-officio member of all committees and shall be responsible to the Chairperson for managing Forum activities, which includes both administrative and financial matters. The Executive Director may be assisted by such other directors as established by the Chairperson with the approval of the Executive Committee.
ARTICLE III – MEMBERSHIP
Section 1: Classes of Membership
- Full Membership – Members shall be government audit executives, in Federal, State or Local government, appointed or elected, having as their primary function the oversight of audit activities for the government entity. Full members may designate an alternate audit executive to represent them when they are unable to attend a meeting; however, each full member is limited to a single vote.
- Associate Member – Any interested person not eligible for full membership may be accepted by the Executive Committee as an associate member.
Section 2: Becoming a Member
- Full Membership – Any government audit executive desiring to become a full member of the Forum should apply to the Membership Chairperson or the Executive Director. Such requests will be reviewed and decided upon by the Executive Committee and a Committee recommendation will be submitted for a decision at a regular meeting of the membership.
- Associate Member – Any interested person should apply to the Membership Chairperson or the Executive Director. Such requests will be reviewed and decided upon by the Executive Committee.
ARTICLE IV – VOTING
Section 1: Voting Rights
Each full member should have one vote. Associate members shall not have voting privileges.
Section 2: Voting Actions
Amendments to this Charter and Bylaws shall require a two-thirds vote of full members present at a regularly scheduled meeting. All other matters requiring a vote, including acceptance of new full members, shall be decided by a majority of those
full members present.
ARTICLE V – MEETINGS
Section 1: Meetings of Members
- Regular meetings of the full membership to advance the purposes and objectives of the Forum shall be held on such date and at such time and place as may be designated by the Chairperson with the approval of the Executive Committee.
- The Chairperson may call a special meeting of the Forum whenever it may be desirable or necessary to do so.
- The agenda for Forum meetings shall be developed by the Programs and Training Committee and approved by the Executive Committee which will give consideration to suggestions and recommendations for agenda items submitted by Forum members.
- Notice shall be sent to each member of the Forum at least 30 days before the date of each regularly scheduled meeting.
- Attendance at all regularly scheduled meetings shall be open to all interested parties based upon payment of appropriate registration fees, if any.
- The Executive Director will be responsible for recording and disseminating minutes approved by the Chairperson of all meetings and will assist the Chairperson in making arrangements for meetings and all other administrative matters relating to the activity of the Forum.
Section 2: Rules of Procedure
In transacting official business, the rules of the parliamentary procedures contained in the most recent revision of “Robert’s Rules of Order” shall govern all meetings of the Forum.
ARTICLE VI – NOMINATION, ELECTION AND FILLING OF VACANCIES FOR OFFICERS
Section 1: Nominations
The Nominating Committee shall select from the full members at least one candidate for the Office of Vice-Chairperson no later than thirty (30) days before the meeting at which a new Vice Chairperson is to be elected. Nominations will be accepted from the floor during the meeting after the presentation of the Nominating Committee’s report.
Section 2: Voting
When there is a contest for an elective office, voting shall be by a mail ballot of the voting members within 60 days of the nomination.
Section 3: Filling Vacancies
In the event of a vacancy occurring in the office of Chairperson, the Vice-Chairperson will succeed. In the event of a vacancy in the office of the Vice-Chairperson, the office will remain vacant until a special or regular election is held. Any special election will be prescribed by the Executive Committee and will involve all voting members.
ARTICLE VII – FINANCIAL ADMINISTRATION
Section 1: Financial Responsibilities
The Executive Committee shall have the authority to prescribe such procedures as it deems appropriate to assure adequate control of the Forum’s financial management.
Section 2: Dissolution
In case of dissolution of the Forum and liquidation of its affairs, any money or other assets remaining after the payment of all obligations shall be distributed to another nonprofit audit organization designated by the Executive Committee.
Section 3: Audits
A financial audit of Forum financial statements shall occur once every two years, or at a call from a majority of the Executive Committee.
ARTICLE VIII -AMENDMENTS TO CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS
Section 1: Origination of Amendments
Proposed changes in the Charter and Bylaws shall be initiated by proposal in writing to the Executive Committee.
Section 2: Processing Procedure
Proposals shall be submitted to the Executive Committee. After review and coordination with the initiator, the original proposals along with the Executive Committee analysis shall be submitted to the Forum membership for vote at the next regular meeting.