An internal audit of the city’s Office of Public Health and Safety is prompting calls for funding freezes to the agency.
The review determined that OPHS has “insufficient oversight” of its programs, finances and third-party vendors “largely due to issues of nonexistent or developing policies and procedures, staff turnover, and lack of training for key operational functions.”
Perhaps most alarming, the review found that several contracts were awarded to companies with “significant connections to current OPHS employees.”
“This finding suggests a series of preventative control failures, exposes the City to reputational and financial risk, and a lack of awareness or understanding of the City of Indianapolis and Marion County’s Code of Ethics,” the report reads.
In its response, OPHS noted that none of the contracts were with immediate family members or employees with a financial interest in the contract.
Other findings in the audit include:
- 84% of contracts tested had missing, incomplete or insufficient invoice documentation, or failed to comply with contract terms
- 51% of contracts lacked sufficient program documentation or failed to meet reporting requirements
- OPHS lacked formal procedures to monitor and evaluate program effectiveness
In a joint statement attributed to Mayor Joe Hogsett’s office and OPHS, city officials said the agency has updated its financial policies in response to the audit and that OPHS “remains central to the priorities of this administration.”
Andrew Merkley, the current director of OPHS, told employees in an April 23 email — a copy of which was obtained by Mirror Indy — that while the audit “contains some concerning findings, it does not tell the full story of OPHS.
“We are a young and growing agency that, like many government agencies, is asked to do a lot with a little. OPHS does great work for our community and has had a measurable, positive impact,” the email reads, in part.
The audit was initiated in response to rapid growth at the agency, which received a 75% increase in its operating budget during the audit period, which covers 2020 through 2025.
The audit attributes many of the issues to a lack of policies and procedures, high staff turnover and lack of training.
The office established by Hogsett in 2016 is responsible for overseeing programs addressing homelessness, community violence reduction and community nutrition and food policy.
The Marion County Republican Party is recommending the City-County Council freeze any funding to OPHS until the issues are addressed.
“It’s a big black eye of a report,” said Michael-Paul Hart, a Republican councilor who has spoken critically of OPHS in the past. “It’s just completely shocking, especially after however many leaders we’ve been through at OPHS for the past five years.”
Maggie Lewis, a Democrat and president of the City-County Council, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Audit flags grant to after-school program
The report raised concerns about a grant of $75,000 that went to a local private school in November 2024 to support a summer program for underserved youth.
The grant began under the leadership of a former OPHS director who now sits on the executive leadership for the program, the audit states, which “creates a perceived conflict of interest that could cause reputational harm to the office.”
While the audit doesn’t mention the program by name, it lines up with a $75,000 grant that was awarded to the Horizons program at Richards Episcopal School in November 2024.
Martine Romy Bernard-Tucker, who was OPHS director at the time, says she believes she is the former OPHS director mentioned in the report.
Bernard-Tucker began serving on the Horizons board in early 2025, shortly after she resigned as OPHS director in December 2024.
When contacted by Mirror Indy, Bernard-Tucker said she consulted with OPHS legal counsel before the contract was awarded to address any potential conflicts of interest.
She said she serves on the Horizons board as an unpaid volunteer, and that while her children attend Richards Episcopal School, they are not eligible for the Horizons program.
“In my case, all the connections I had to Horizon were all divulged. They were all disclosed,” Bernard-Tucker said. “We moved forward after it was clear that I didn’t have any sort of personal benefit that I was getting from Horizons.”
As previously reported by Mirror Indy, Bernard-Tucker resigned as OPHS director due to a fractured relationship with Lena Hill, who at the time was deputy mayor of public health and safety.
The City-County Council declined to confirm Hill’s appointment after she faced questions about her leadership style.
Mirror Indy, a nonprofit newsroom, is funded through grants and donations from individuals, foundations and organizations.
Peter Blanchard covers local government. Reach him at 317-605-4836 or peter.blanchard@mirrorindy.org. Follow him on X @peterlblanchard.
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