Commission approves Cherry Bekaert to audit Augusta Housing and Community Development grants

Augusta-Richmond County commissioners voted to hire Cherry Bekaert to perform a grant compliance audit of the Augusta Housing and Community Development Department after the city's evaluation committee ranked the firm highest among five respondents.

The audit contract was presented to the governing body during a special call meeting; the commission approved the engagement after a motion and second. The county's interim HCD director and the administrator introduced the item, and a Cherry Bekaert representative detailed the firm's proposed scope, timeline and staffing.

Interim Director Schreier said the evaluation committee met May 8 and that Cherry Bekaert was selected from five firms. “Their price is $63,000,” Schreier said, and he corrected an earlier misstatement about schedule, adding the firm’s planned timeline is five to six months because of the volume of information involved. Administrator Allen described the procurement as a routine step to have grant accounts audited.

Bonnie Cox, who identified herself as a managing partner with Cherry Bekaert’s Augusta practice, told commissioners the engagement is structured in three phases—planning and scoping, execution and reporting—and emphasized that the planning phase is “the most critical part” and can be used to adjust timing. Cox said the project plan is based on about 308 total hours and that the firm will balance on-site and remote work as needed.

Mayor Pro Tempore Wayne Guilfoyle and other commissioners asked about the length of the engagement and whether the firm was already working with HCD. Cox said a different Cherry Bekaert team has supported year‑end financial work for the city but that the grants compliance engagement will be led by a separate grants-advisory and compliance team, which the firm treats as a geo‑agnostic, largely remote practice. Cox said she is the local market leader included on the proposal team.

A motion to approve the engagement was seconded by Commissioner Don Clark; the clerk recorded that the motion carried with Commissioners Mason and Garrett absent. During the vote the administrator asked the vendor to notify the governing body once work begins. Cox said the firm planned to start in May and that the planning phase would allow timeline adjustments.

The commission’s action authorizes staff to execute the awarded contract; no amendments or additional funding breakdowns were provided at the meeting. Commissioners asked staff to return updates to the governing body as the audit work begins or if the schedule changes.

The audit will focus on grants management and compliance; details about the specific grants to be reviewed, milestones for interim reporting, or whether the audit will produce single‑audit–style findings were not specified at the meeting.