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Resident urges in-depth audit as board opens public hearing on FY2024 budget changes
Summary
During a public hearing on FY2024 budget transfers, resident Josephine Gilbert asked for an in-depth audit, questioning a roughly $6 million transfer and calling it potentially 'a theft'; the board heard the comment and a motion was made to adopt the budget amendment with a contingency amendment.
At a public hearing on proposed FY2024 budget amendments, a Fauquier County resident urged the Board of Supervisors to commission an in-depth audit after reviewing the packet of transfers that includes a roughly $6.4 million movement of the budget stabilization reserve.
Josephine Gilbert, a Scott District resident, congratulated the board on receiving a AAA rating from Moody’s but said she was concerned about a roughly $6 million transfer she read in the attachments and urged an in-depth, external audit and review of procedures. She said, "That that that is a theft," and asked the board to issue an RFP for a thorough review of procedures and controls, not just routine year-end audit ticks and ties.
County staff had explained the amendments are recommended by the auditor as part of year-end closeout and include: a transfer of the budget stabilization reserve of approximately $6,400,000 from capital to the general fund so the reserve remains in fund balance; the return of approximately $2,000,000 in county savings to the general fund; a transfer of $824,000 from capital reserve to re-source a prior legal payment; and a proposed $12,500 transfer from the board contingency reserve to support a historic preservation project in The Plains (to be processed after The Plains raises an equivalent amount).
After public comment, Supervisor (speaker 14) moved to adopt the resolution with an amendment specifying that the $12,500 contingent transfer to The Plains would be processed only after The Plains raises an equivalent amount; the motion was seconded. The transcript records the motion and second but does not include the final recorded vote in the provided segments.
The public hearing and the motion leave open whether the board will order an external audit; the transcript records the request but no board or staff commitment to pursue the RFP-style audit in the provided segments.
