An audit released by the city of Colorado Springs' Auditor on Friday reports Colorado Springs Mayor Yemi Mobolade had city staff watch his kids during work hours and at city events.The report said seven employees were interviewe d and all of them said the mayor brought his kids to work or city events, all but one said they had watched the mayor's kids during business hours or at city events. One employee said they had volunteered to watch his kids outside of work hours but later felt there was an expectation to continue, the auditor said they were not paid for their time to watch the children.Employees interviewed for the audit said the mayor bringing his kids or having them watch them was reoccurring and coincides with school breaks or holidays.The audit provided another example, which included a city event in July 2025, an employee reported watching the mayor's children in a construction trailer for the duration of an event that prevented the staff member from performing their city job. The audit report said the value of time watching the children totaled $380.00.The five page report also included additional reporting on the mayor's use of city vehicles for personal use. The mayor's office recently updated city policy allowing the use of a city-owned vehicle, as long as mileage is reimbursed to the city. City Council members objected his policy and had planned to introduce a different policy. Read the full audit report, here.Mayor Yemi Mobolade responded to News5 with a lengthy statement, the full statement is below."I respect the role of the City Auditor and the importance of investigating credible reports of waste, fraud and abuse. Public trust requires transparency, accountability, and clear rules for how City resources are used.Serving as the mayor and being a good husband and father are my top priorities. As any parent with school-aged children can attest, there are rare occasions for which my children have accompanied me to work functions. I never intended for there to be a perception or expectation that supervising my children was a responsibility of any staff. I continue to use the City vehicle in compliance with City policies, and where the report identifies the need for stronger internal controls, the City has already taken action through a new Administrative Regulation 26-04 to improve clarity, documentation, and accountability.The mayors role, which is a 24/7 job, requires movement across the city, attendance at public events, emergency availability, and appropriate safety considerations. City vehicle use should be governed by clear policy, and that is exactly why the City has strengthened the rules. I am in compliance with the policy, and if any reimbursement or tax-reporting obligations are identified through the normal reconciliation process, they will be handled appropriately. Moving forward, my team and I will use the telematics to reconcile all reported mileage, as this tool was not something we previously were aware of as part of the reporting process.This report raises several concerns about the priorities of our City Auditor, begging the question of the motivation behind the audit and number of hours used to develop this report at the expense of other critical risk-based audits that residents are asking for.As of today, more than 1,700 hours of planned audit work remain delayed or backlogged, and our City Auditor is several months behind on key audits that residents and I have asked for, including providing oversight on the CSPD technology implementation as it relates to privacy and civil liberties, how our resources for homelessness outreach are being used, and whether or not the $45 million in Public Safety Sales Tax dollars are being used appropriately.My focus remains where it has always been; serving the residents of Colorado Springs and delivering results on the priorities that matter most. I believe City oversight should be directed toward advancing public safety, exercising sound fiscal stewardship, investing in critical infrastructure, and ensuring the responsible use of every taxpayer dollar." ...read more read less