Councilor Dan Lewis' Letter to the Chair of the Accountability and Oversight Committee on Office of Inspector General Reports

September 3, 2025
To: Chair Victor Griego
Accountability and Government Oversight Committee
City of Albuquerque
Subject: Request for Immediate Convening of AGO Committee to Review and Publish Completed 
Inspector General Reports

Dear Chair Griego,

I write to request that the Accountability and Government Oversight Committee convene without delay to 
review and release the outstanding investigative reports completed by the Office of Inspector General 
(OIG). These reports, which concern allegations of fraud, waste, and abuse within City Hall, have been 
completed but remain unpublished for many months. 

The Accountability in Government Oversight Ordinance allows the Committee to defer the release of a 
report for up to one meeting but does not allow it to continue to hide these reports. The Inspector General was required to release these reports no later than 15 business days after the last meeting of the 
committee, which was held on July 30, 2025. In the interim, an outside firm has already conducted a 
review of these reports. There is no reason for them to not have been released yet, more than two weeks 
after the August 20, 2025, deadline required by Ordinance.

We understand that at least six Inspector General reports have not been brought forward for review 
despite several having been completed nearly a year ago. Former Inspector General Melissa R. 
Santistevan stated in March that these reports “deal with fraud, waste, or abuse that impact our City.” 

Further, in an April 2, 2025 letter, the Association of Inspectors General (AIG) expressed concern that 
nine completed reports were being withheld, citing the AGO Committee’s failure to meet in a timely 
manner. The AIG urged the Committee to take immediate action to end these delays and fulfill its 
oversight duties.

To ensure transparency and accountability, I ask that the Committee:
1. Schedule and convene a meeting no later than October 1, 2025, to review all pending OIG reports.
2. Release the completed reports in accordance with established procedures, including the results of 
the review conducted by REDW.
3. Schedule future follow-up meetings within 30 days of deferring a report to prevent similar 
backlogs in the future.

Releasing these reports are fundamental for public trust and good governance. Albuquerque residents 
deserve timely access to the findings of their Inspector General, and it is the AGO Committee’s statutory 
responsibility to ensure that happens.
Thank you for promptly addressing this matter of urgent public concern.

Sincerely,
Dan Lewis
City Councilor, District 5