Washington County accepts 2024 audit; auditors flag reporting deficiencies

The Washington County Commissioners Court on Nov. 25 accepted the county's 2024 annual comprehensive financial report following a presentation by Elias Tristan of Singleton Clark and Company, the county's external auditors.

Tristan said the county's general fund ended the year with about $16,900,000, equivalent to roughly eight months of operating expenditures, and that auditors issued an unmodified (clean) opinion on the financial statements. "We did not identify any material weaknesses in the audit, but we did identify deficiencies that we consider significant deficiencies," he told the court, explaining that most related to accounting and financial reporting during the conversion from cash basis to modified accrual accounting and that numerous audit adjustments were required.

Commissioners discussed plans to move the county's accounting to modified accrual and the work already underway with staff and Tyler Technologies to make that transition. Tristan and county staff said they expect the number of audit adjustments to decline once the county fully converts its accounting basis.

After questions and brief discussion about timing and corrective steps, a commissioner moved to accept the audit; the motion was seconded and carried unanimously.

The auditors also reported an unmodified opinion on the single-audit of federal funds tied to coronavirus relief (ARPA) and said they found no noncompliance in that program. The county's finance staff and commissioners said they are working on process changes to address the reporting deficiencies and to have future audits completed on time.

The acceptance of the audit completes the formal review of the 2024 financial statements and authorizes staff to implement the corrective and conversion steps discussed during the presentation.