Gainesville commission accepts FY24 audited financial statements after auditors report no findings

The Gainesville City Commission unanimously voted March 27 to accept the city's fiscal year 2024 audited financial statements, independent auditors' reports and annual governance letters, after external auditors issued unmodified (clean) opinions and reported no material weaknesses.

Dennis Winn, director of financial services, told the commission the city had not received an audited report "with no findings or management letter comments since 2017." Barbara Boyd, audit partner at Pervis Gray, presented the audit results and summarized that auditors issued unmodified opinions on the citywide financial statements and five separately audited reports, and found compliance with Florida Statute 218.415 (local government investment requirements).

The auditors reviewed six financial statements and notes: the annual comprehensive financial report (citywide), the infrastructure surtax fund, the redevelopment trust funds, the employees' pension plan, the consolidated police officers and firefighters plan, and the retiree health insurance program. The auditors also performed single-audit testing because the city had multiple federal and state programs that met major-program thresholds; audit staff described four major federal programs and two major state projects for FY24 and reported unmodified opinions in those compliance reviews.

The audit team reported no material weaknesses or significant deficiencies in internal control over financial reporting and no material instances of noncompliance related to the financial statements. The management letter, prepared under the Auditor General's Rule (chapter 10.550), noted that a prior-year recommendation had been corrected and that there were no new recommendations rising to the level of a significant deficiency.

Commissioners responded with praise for staff work. Commissioner Chestnut said the result represented a significant milestone, calling it "the first clean audit in 8 years." Commissioner Willats and others thanked finance staff and the city manager for reorganizing and adding oversight that, commissioners said, helped produce the clean report.

Winn and City Manager Curry highlighted personnel changes during the audit cycle. Winn introduced Noemi, the acting controller, and said she stepped into the role just before field work and helped keep the audit on schedule; staff reported that Noemi completed CPA exam testing during the audit period.

There was no public comment. Commissioner Duncan Walker moved to accept the audit committee's recommendation to approve the audited financial statements, independent auditors' reports and governance letters; the motion was seconded and passed unanimously.

With the acceptance, commissioners and staff said they would inform the media and ensure the report is shared with oversight entities; no further directives or follow-up votes were recorded at the meeting.