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Auditor reports Lakeland finances in order; audit opinion awaits city audit completion
Summary
External auditor told the Lakeland Board of Education that the district’s audit work is complete and that auditors expect to issue an unmodified opinion on school funds, subject to the city’s combined audit finishing. The auditor reported revenue and expense movements and said internal controls showed no design deficiencies.
Watkins Huberoff, the engagement auditor for the district’s FY2024 audit, presented the board with a summary saying the school audit work is complete but the formal audit opinion is pending because the school’s audit is rolled into the city’s combined audit.
“We expect to issue an unmodified opinion,” the auditor said, noting that the district’s general purpose school fund and government‑wide statements should receive clean opinions and that the school’s internal control review found no design deficiencies and that controls appeared implemented.
Huberoff summarized key year‑over‑year figures presented to the board: total revenues for the general purpose school fund increased by about $3.8 million to roughly $25.1 million; instruction expenses rose by about $1.3 million to $12.8 million; operation and maintenance costs increased about $420,000 to roughly $2.0 million; and overall salaries increased (presented as a combined figure of about $15.7 million in the auditor’s remarks).
Huberoff told the board the district’s pension plans are fully funded at present and that the district has been making partial ADC (actuarially determined contribution) payments for OPEB, noting year‑to‑year variation in funding patterns but no current deficiencies.
Huberoff also described the practical tradeoffs of the combined audit with the city: combining audits reduces duplicated work but means the district’s audit opinion can be affected by the city’s other audited units, though the auditor said the district’s funds are unlikely to be directly affected.
The board did not take formal action on the audit presentation; the auditor and district finance staff answered members’ questions during the presentation.
