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Council accepts independent audit for fiscal 2024–25; auditors give unmodified opinion
Summary
Murray City’s independent auditors delivered an unmodified (clean) audit opinion for fiscal year 2024–25; the council accepted the audit and directed publication of the required state notice. Auditors identified process improvements for police-seizure accounting and other recommendations but found no material misstatements.
The Murray City Council on Oct. 21 accepted the city’s independent financial audit for fiscal year 2024–25 after the auditor delivered an unmodified (clean) opinion and reviewed key findings.
Robert Wood, the city’s independent auditor, told the council the firm issued an unmodified opinion on the financial statements — the highest-level clean opinion auditors can give — and said the reports showed the city’s statements were fairly presented in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. Wood described routine audit procedures (confirmations, account reconciliations and testing) and highlighted a few recommendations to strengthen internal controls and processes, including improved communication between the finance department and the police department about seized/cash-evidence accounting to ensure timely resolution of liabilities.
Brenda Moore, Murray’s finance director, summarized financial highlights: the city’s governmental activities and enterprise funds ended the year with an overall increase in net position, the general fund’s unassigned balance rose to about $16 million (about 25.9% of general fund revenues), capital projects fund balance stood at roughly $33 million (with about $27 million already budgeted for projects), and most departments finished under budget. Moore and auditors noted enterprise (utility) funds had operating income; the power fund’s net position increase was reduced on paper by a pension accounting entry, a non-cash allocation.
Action: Council Member Cotter moved, and Council Member Turner seconded, a resolution acknowledging receipt and completion of the independent audit and directing the city recorder to publish the required notice under Utah Code. The roll-call vote was unanimous: Council Member Paul Pickett — Aye; Council Member Cotter — Aye; Council Member Scott Goodman — Aye; Council Member Diane Turner — Aye; Council Member Adam Hawk — Aye.
Ending: Auditors said staff responsiveness and year-round accounting controls made the audit process efficient; the auditor and staff noted plans to address recommendations such as evidence-room and long-lived bond liability cleanup and refine interdepartmental communication where needed.
