Chair Kenlock told the Wayne County Commission Committee on Ways and Means the meeting was called to reconcile remaining year‑end budget amendments and finish audit‑related work. He said staff worked over the weekend to assemble materials and asked management and budget for a status update.

Philip Woodfield (as transcribed) and budget staff said several year‑end and audit items remain unfinished and will be returned to the committee in January. Betsy Laughlin, deputy chief financial officer, told commissioners staff must do dual entry into JD Edwards and Oracle during the transition and are handling additional audit walkthroughs. “We wanna make sure that the audit is on time and that we have a clean audit,” Laughlin said, describing consultant support to compile statements, draft disclosures and assist with two new GASB implementations referenced in the record.

The committee considered an amendment to an existing cooperative agreement to extend the contractor’s term and change the scope so the firm can assist with audit preparation; staff said the contractor had not done work since an October start and is being brought back to help finish audit tasks. During questioning, the chair asked how many in‑house full‑time equivalents handle the work and reiterated a goal of reducing contract dependence over time.

Separately, the committee heard about a one‑year professional services contract with Watson & Yates LLC. Staff described the engagement as consulting to “reimagine what the budget process is,” including identifying best practices, creating templates and moving toward line‑item budgeting. Philip Whitfield (as transcribed), who introduced the item, said the firm is expected to focus on process design and that the county anticipates completing the work within a year.

Commissioners expressed support for completing the audit on time and for redesigning budget processes, while stressing a long‑term emphasis on building in‑house capacity. The contracts were approved as part of an omnibus motion that carried at the end of the agenda. The committee did not adopt a new staffing count during the meeting and said departments would be monitored for future hiring or onboarding needs.

The committee indicated staff will return with remaining year‑end items in January and that corporation counsel will be looped in for any litigation‑related budget impacts.