The Shelby County Board on May 8 approved a resolution authorizing a single 15-month audit covering Sept. 1, 2022, through Nov. 30, 2023, to replace separate 12-month and three-month audits and accelerate the countys compliance timeline.

County officials and contracted pre-audit staff from Sikich (referenced in the meeting) told the board the consolidated audit would save time and help the county get current with state audit requirements. The resolution text read in the meeting cites a fiscal-year shift and said the consolidated audit would avoid producing two separate audit reports for the covered period.

At the same meeting county staff reported having received notice from the state (via email) that, unless the county satisfies GATA (the state grant accountability and transparency requirements) obligations, the state may place the county on a stop-payment list as soon as May 12, 2025. The clerk read an email listing staff members identified as needing to meet FY23 GATA requirements and said the county had requested reconsideration of the stop-payment timing.

Officials warned the board that stop-pay status would not result in immediate reinstatement of payments once requirements are met; the county would need to request reimbursement for periods when payments were paused, a process described as not instantaneous. Board members expressed concern about the potential operational impact: the health department and other grant-funded services rely on state grant disbursements, and delays could strain operations or force use of reserves.

Board members said they would continue engagement with Sikich and state contacts to resolve outstanding documentation. The board approved the 15-month audit resolution in the business portion of the meeting; staff said they would pursue the audit and maintain communication with state grant administrators in hopes of avoiding payment interruptions.