PORTLAND, Ore. — Multnomah County offices are falling short when it comes to answering calls and emails from the public, according to a new audit released Wednesday by County Auditor Jennifer McGuirk.
The report found that departments responded to only 83% of phone and email inquiries, leaving gaps in access to critical county services. The audit began after the County Ombudsperson received complaints from residents who said they couldn’t reach anyone when calling county numbers.
Auditors tested the system by placing calls and sending emails using aliases and non-county phone numbers. They found that county offices answered or returned calls 80% of the time and responded to 87% of emails. Some phone lines listed online didn’t work, and fewer than 60% of automated messages offered options in other languages…