After audit finds red flags in airport contracting, Atlanta city councilman calls for swift reforms

Construction of a temporary sidewalk covering at Hartsfield-Jackson. JOHN SPINK/JSPINK@AJC.COM File Photo

Construction of a temporary sidewalk covering at Hartsfield-Jackson. JOHN SPINK/JSPINK@AJC.COM File Photo

After a scathing city audit found red flags in Atlanta airport construction contracting, city council members called the findings concerning and called for reforms.

The Atlanta city council transportation committee, which oversees Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, listened to a summary of the findings by city auditor Amanda Noble at a meeting Wednesday morning. The audit found red flags in construction contracting indicating an elevated risk of fraud.

Council transportation committee chair Andre Dickens called the revelations “horrible” and said he would push for the city’s procurement department to make changes more quickly than originally planned in response to the auditor’s recommendations. The changes had been expected to be completed by September 2018.