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External auditors deliver clean opinion; finance director outlines midyear budget moves
Summary
External auditors issued a clean (unmodified) opinion on the city's fiscal 2023–24 financial statements and reported no material weaknesses; staff used the audit to frame a midyear budget amendment and to note an unassigned general-fund balance of about $42.8 million.
Caballero, Fehrman, Yerena and Garcia presented the City of Parkland's annual comprehensive financial report (ACFR) for the fiscal year ended Sept. 30, 2024, and issued an unmodified (clean) opinion. Auditor Jamie Blank briefed the commission on the audit findings and thanked city staff for cooperation during the audit.
Blank said the auditor's opinion states the city's financial statements "present fairly in all material respects the financial position of the city as of Sept. 30, 2024," describing the opinion as an unmodified opinion that auditors seek. The audit report included management's discussion and analysis (MD&A), basic financial statements, notes, required supplementary information and a compliance section covering federal awards and state requirements.
The auditors reported no significant deficiencies or material weaknesses in internal control and no instances of noncompliance on either financial statements or grant testing. The auditor also noted no disagreements with management or difficulties completing the audit.
Jamie Blank highlighted that the city's unassigned general-fund balance at Sept. 30, 2024, was approximately $42,800,000 and noted that the city expects to submit the ACFR for the Government Finance Officers Association certificate of achievement. Finance Director Kelly Schwartz used the audit context to present a midyear budget amendment (first reading) reallocating ARPA funds, funding a larger-than-budgeted contract for the Ranches Roads project and transferring $38,215,000 from fund balance into the capital-projects fund to begin Wedge Preserve Park construction.
Commissioners praised the finance team for the audit result. Kelly Schwartz explained the specifics of the midyear amendment: a $5,215,203 ARPA reappropriation for two drainage projects; a contract award of $4,218,000 for Ranches Roads (requiring a budget increase) with a $168,989 portion considered drainage and to be covered by the general fund; and a $38,215,000 transfer to fund the Wedge Preserve Park guaranteed maximum price.
Blank and the commission emphasized that the audit provides a definitive statement of what happened in the fiscal year and that the midyear budget changes are technically reappropriations and transfers to support imminent construction and contract payments. No vote was required on the audit presentation itself; the midyear budget amendment was taken up and approved on first reading later in the meeting.
