Audit committee recommends Ritchie May as Grand County external auditor

The Grand County Audit Committee voted Sept. 30 to recommend that the county contract with Ritchie May to perform the county's external financial statement audit and related single-audit work, forwarding the recommendation to the full county commission for final approval. The committee chair called for the recommendation after presentations from two bidding firms and a lengthy question-and-answer session.

The recommendation followed presentations from Ritchie May partners Brandon Keyes and Mike Whipple and a separate presentation and discussion with John, a representative of Larson (the incumbent auditor). Committee members and county staff pressed both firms on pricing, whether single-audit work was included, how the firms would staff on-site field work, and how to coordinate audits of four county component units so the county's consolidated report can be filed on time.

Why this matters: the county has missed filing deadlines in prior years when component-unit audits arrived late. Committee members said bundling component-unit audits with the county contract or otherwise coordinating timing is intended to protect…