County audit: Barnstable County gets clean opinion on FY 2024 financial statements and single audit

Renee Davis, managing director at CBIZ, and Romina Mamelli, director at CBIZ, presented Barnstable County's fiscal year 2024 independent audit to the Barnstable County Board of Regional Commissioners on June 25 and said auditors issued unmodified opinions on the county's financial statements and on compliance for federal awards.

"The results of the audit are what we call an unmodified audit opinion," Renee Davis told commissioners. She added the auditors also issued an unmodified opinion on the single-audit testing of federal awards and found no reportable instances of noncompliance. Romina Mamelli confirmed, "There was no management letter. There were no find there were no findings in the audit."

The auditors described the scope of their work: CBIZ audited the county's Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR), tested compliance with Uniform Guidance for federal awards and applied Government Auditing Standards (the "yellow book"). The audit team said it performed preliminary risk assessment work, year-end verification and testing of significant estimates such as pension and other post-employment benefits (OPEB).

Auditors highlighted financial and program details in the ACFR. The county's general fund budget for FY 2024 totaled about $37.3 million (including prior-year available funds); reserves of roughly $15.6 million were used to balance the budget. Auditors reported a planned drawdown in the general fund of approximately $9.6 million, consistent with voted uses (including capital and PFAS remediation commitments). The county reported an approximate general fund balance of $36.3 million (including stabilization funds). Auditors noted the county retained strong budgetary controls and ended the year with revenues above conservative estimates and expenditures under budget by roughly $2.0 million.

On federal awards, the auditors said the county reported about $12.1 million of federal expenditures in FY 2024. American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds remained a major item: auditors reported $9.4 million of ARPA expenditures and stated approximately $24.0 million of ARPA funding remained unexpended at year end but committed for future distribution; auditors warned ARPA commitments must meet federal timelines and documentation requirements.

Regarding long-term liabilities, the county's share of the Barnstable County Retirement System liability was reported at about $58.6 million; the OPEB unfunded liability was reported at about $18.0 million with an OPEB trust balance of roughly $4.0 million after a $150,000 contribution in FY 2024. Long-term debt totaled about $13.2 million, of which roughly $12.7 million was financed through the Massachusetts Clean Water Trust (low- or zero-interest loans).

Auditors said the county submitted its FY 2024 ACFR for the Government Finance Officers Association certificate of achievement and that the FY 2023 award had been received. The presenters thanked county finance staff and management for timely year-end close and noted the audit fieldwork began early because the finance office had closed the books promptly.

Commissioners praised the finance team. Commissioner Mark Forrest called the report "a very, very complete and accurate picture of our financial situation," and Commissioner Bergstrom thanked staff for maintaining strong fiscal practices. No formal vote to accept the audit report was recorded in the meeting transcript; the discussion concluded with commissioners acknowledging the clean audit outcome and asking no further follow-ups beyond routine appreciation.