Grain Valley receives clean audit; sales tax, reserves strengthen city finances

The City of Grain Valley received a clean independent audit at the Board of Aldermen meeting, with the auditor saying the city’s financial statements were “presented fairly, in all material respects.” The auditor, Butch Beeman of Trout Beeman and Company, presented the audit and highlighted increases in cash and net assets and the retirement of debt.

The auditor’s report — an unqualified opinion — is the highest level of assurance an independent auditor can offer. “It’s called an unqualified report, but it’s very much a clean report,” Beeman told the aldermen, and he encouraged officials to review the management’s discussion and analysis that accompanies the financial statements.

Beeman said unrestricted cash on the government-wide statement was about…