SANTA ANA (AP) — The Orange County Transit Authority won’t rehire its auditor after the company failed to spot problems in the city of Bell, where ex-top officials have been charged with corruption for awarding themselves massive salaries.

The board of the transit agency voted Monday to deny a $1.1 million contract to Mayer Hoffman McCann, which has provided auditing services for the past three years. The Orange County Register says a finance committee will recommend that one of three other companies get the three-year contract.

State Controller John Chiang said last year that Mayer Hoffman McCann didn’t follow accepted auditing standards and rubber-stamped the books in Bell.

In a statement, the Irvine-based company says its Bell audit complied with standards and it was the victim of a massive deception.

(© Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)