Council Demands City Agency Comply With Probe

A City Council panel ordered the Los Angeles Information Technology Agency on Tuesday to cooperate with a review of travel and contracting after officials said the agency had failed to provide requested documents.

Councilman Jack Weiss, chairman of the council’s Information Technology and General Services Committee, said new questions were raised by initial results that show the agency approved $14 million in contracts without council review, including some that appeared to run just one day short of three years, which is the threshold requiring council approval.

“Given the fact that getting complete information has been like pulling teeth, you have to ask yourself why they have routinely been issuing contracts that are 24 hours under the statutory requirement,” Weiss said.

Committee members voiced concern that the department, which is in charge of installing and overseeing computer and telephone systems, faces a potential budget shortfall of as much as $6 million by the end of this fiscal year. In one case, a technology expert was given two contracts that each ran just under three years, providing just under six years of contracts without council oversight, according to Weiss’ office.

Liza Lowery, the agency’s general manager, said the contracts were reviewed by the mayor’s office and city administrative officer’s staff.

Weiss requested a review after the agency sought an additional $35,000 for travel.