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State auditors find compliance in reviewed areas but urge stronger contract monitoring
Summary
The Washington State Auditor presented an accountability audit covering 01/01/2024–12/31/2024 that found compliance in reviewed areas but recommended stronger oversight of some contracts after identifying one medical-services billing discrepancy of about $48,000.
Debbie O'Leary, the audit lead from the Washington State Auditor's Office, told the Franklin County Board of Commissioners that an accountability audit covering Jan. 1–Dec. 31, 2024, found the county complied with state laws, grant terms and its own policies in the areas the office reviewed.
The audit used a risk-based approach to select follow-up areas, O'Leary said, and examined contract monitoring for medical and commissary services at the correctional center, courts cash receipting, payroll, vendor disbursements, two state solid-waste grants, property tax exemptions in the assessor's office, compliance with open-meeting requirements and financial-condition ratios.
"Our audit found the county's operations complied with these requirements in the areas we reviewed," O'Leary said. She told the board the office does not examine every transaction or area and that the report only covers sampled areas.
The auditors found increased contract monitoring for medical services compared with the prior audit but identified one instance where medical-services billings exceeded the contracted amount by about $48,000 over a two-month review period and noted the county lacked documentation, such as provider time records, to support billed hours. The audit included a management-letter recommendation that the county strengthen oversight and obtain supporting documentation for contractor billings.
Commissioners asked about audit costs. O'Leary and audit manager Ginny Waltman explained the $32,000 figure presented was for the accountability audit only; the combined estimate for financial, federal and accountability audits next round is about $122,000 because the different audit types require different budgeted hours and work scopes.
O'Leary said the auditors determined that prior findings on contract monitoring were "materially resolved" because this year the office identified issues with only one contract and of a lesser dollar amount than in the prior audit. The audit report and related schedules will be published on the auditor's website in the coming weeks.
