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County audit delay leads to withheld second-installment distributions; officials expect completion in September
Summary
Officials said McLean County’s audit remains open, forcing the county collector to withhold second-installment distributions to taxing bodies under the Public Funds Statement Publication Act (30 ILCS 15) until required audit filings and publications are complete. Administration and auditors are meeting weekly and expect to finish in September.
County Administrator Cassie Taylor and Treasurer Becky McNeil updated the Finance Committee on Sept. 3 on the county audit status and the resulting withholding of second-installment distributions to county government and other taxing bodies.
Taylor said the county notified the Illinois Comptroller that it would not finish the audit within the extension period and has been convening weekly meetings with CliftonLarsonAllen (CLA), the county auditor, the treasurer and administration to move the audit toward completion. McNeil explained that the county collector is required by the Public Funds Statement Publication Act (30 ILCS 15) to withhold distributions for any taxing district that has not filed required financial reports and publication notices within six months of its fiscal-year end; because McLean County’s audit and required filings remain incomplete, second-installment distributions for the county were withheld and are being held in the county collector’s account.
Taylor and McNeil said they are coordinating closely with CLA and the Illinois Comptroller’s office; McNeil said the auditor made progress in recent weeks and that, if the AFR (Annual Financial Report) and required publications are completed and accepted by the county board, CLA will file the AFR with the Comptroller and the county auditor will publish the availability notice, after which withheld distributions can be released. Taylor said Comptroller staff indicated they hope the audit work will be finished during September, and urged the county board to meet as soon as the AFR is ready so the county can present and accept the audit and move forward with filings and distribution releases.
Committee members asked whether affected taxing districts had been notified; McNeil said distribution and “do not distribute” notices are routinely emailed to taxing districts and that she had not received requests for hardship exceptions. Officials said withholding is uncommon but required by state statute and that changes should be considered for 2026 to prevent recurrence.
Ending: County staff said they expect the audit and AFR filing to be completed in September and urged prompt presentation and acceptance by the county board so withheld second-installment distributions can be released.
