Independent auditors give Bonita Springs 'clean' opinion; firm highlights certificate of achievement

Bonita Springs, Fla. — City auditors from Ashley Brown Smith CPAs told the City Council that Bonita Springs’ fiscal‑year 2024 financial statements received an unmodified opinion and that, in the auditors’ view, material compliance was met for major federal programs.

Tony Smith, partner at Ashley Brown Smith, presented the annual financial statement and single‑audit report for the year ended Sept. 30, 2024. Reading a required paragraph aloud, Smith said, “In our opinion, the financial statements referred to above present fairly in all material respects.” He also reported that the city complied in all material respects with requirements for major federal programs selected for testing under the single‑audit rules.

Smith highlighted the city’s submission to the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) for the Certificate of Achievement in Excellence in Financial Reporting and noted the staff effort required to earn that recognition. Council members thanked finance staff for the work; Mayor Gibson and council members specifically praised the finance team for the presentation and the award submission.

Why it matters: An unmodified (clean) audit opinion and a favorable single‑audit report signal that the city’s financial statements are reliable for users — including bond markets, grantors and residents — and that controls over federal grant expenditures met tested requirements in the auditor’s sampling.

No formal council action was required on the auditor’s report; the firm invited council members to contact them during the year with questions about the financial statements.