Rushton: Oconee County receives clean FY2025 audit; general fund reserves near four months

Rushton presented the county’s draft fiscal‑year‑2025 audit at the Dec. 2 commission meeting and reported an unmodified (clean) audit opinion.

Justin Burris, audit manager, said the auditors found a clean opinion and no material weaknesses or significant deficiencies in internal controls. “Pleased to announce that we had an unmodified opinion after your fiscal year 25 audit,” Burris told commissioners.

Burris summarized headline figures: Oconee County’s government‑wide net position was reported just over $263,000,000; general fund revenue totaled about $46,500,000 (an increase of roughly $2.1 million year‑over‑year) and general fund expenditures were roughly $38,900,000 (an increase of about $4.3 million). He noted that unrestricted portions of net position and fund balances include approximately $13,100,000 of assigned/unassigned general fund balance representing about four months (approximately 33%) of expenditures, a level Rushton considers within a healthy 3–6 month range.

Burris also noted water/sewer fund results and flagged that the single‑audit (federal funds) work was driven largely by clean‑water grant spending of roughly $1.8 million in fiscal 2025. He said auditors performed required procedures on internal controls and compliance and had no recommendations for material weaknesses or significant deficiencies.

Commissioners were given page references and encouraged to review the management’s discussion and notes for accounting‑policy changes (GASB updates) and one‑time accounting effects such as subscription arrangements that can skew single‑year expenditures. Rushton said final issuance would follow completion of remaining closeout tasks and any outstanding federal compliance steps.

The presentation concluded with questions about assigned vs. unassigned fund balances and where specific amounts were reported in the draft report; Rushton committed to provide requested detail within the report references.