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Curry County commissioners approve REDW forensic audit of county finances
Summary
The board voted to hire REDW to reconcile county treasury disbursements and identify inaccuracies before the next budget season; auditors will review past years and may prompt deeper investigation.
Curry County commissioners voted to hire accounting firm REDW to perform a forensic audit of county finances, aiming to reconcile treasury deposits and disbursements before the next budget season.
The audit’s initial scope is to determine whether disbursements from the county treasury to special districts and the county general fund were correct over recent years and to present results in time for the 2026–27 budget process. The board approved the contract after commissioners said the review is necessary to provide accurate baseline numbers for each taxing district.
Commissioners and staff cited several concrete concerns that prompted the audit, including examples where districts received incorrect payments and an instance cited by commissioners in which an ombudsman position was overpaid roughly $300,000 over two years. Commissioner comments noted the county received no interest on those funds while they were outside county accounts.
County staff told the board REDW proposed assigning a multi-person team (an estimated four to six auditors) and that the firm indicated it could meet the county’s timing needs. Commissioners discussed whether to structure payments to the firm by milestones or by a calendar schedule and concluded that conditioning payments on milestones could be difficult because timely responses from outside districts and other third parties are needed for the work.
The board voted unanimously to approve REDW’s proposal. The motion to retain REDW was made and seconded during the meeting; Commissioners recorded votes as "Commissioner Coker: Aye," "Commissioner Hollinger: Yes," and a third commissioner voting "I as well." County staff said they would schedule the firm and request initial deliverables as proposed.
County officials said the audit will begin with the treasury-to-district reconciliation; if the auditors identify systemic problems or anomalies that affect other funds (grants or restricted revenues), the county may retain the firm for additional, targeted work. Officials also warned the review could reveal issues that require restatements of previously filed financial reports; staff and commissioners said they do not yet know the full extent of possible findings.
The board directed staff to move forward with contracting and scheduling with REDW so the audit work can proceed.
