Alexander County audit returns unmodified opinion; board approves audit, budget amendments and consent agenda

Beau Hildebrand of Martin Starnes and Associates presented Alexander County’s 2025 audited financial statements and reported an unmodified opinion, indicating the auditors found no material misstatements. The draft audit showed general fund revenues are led by ad valorem property taxes (about 48% of revenues) and local option sales tax (about 26%). Total general fund expenditures were reported near $50,000,000.

Hildebrand said the county’s available fund balance rose by approximately $4,900,000, representing about 44.82% of general fund expenditures — roughly five months of operating expenses. He noted the audit included one compliance finding related to a Department of Social Services terminal walkthrough, described as a significant deficiency, and that the audit draft had not yet been submitted to the Local Government Commission at the time of presentation.

Commissioners praised county staff for conservative budgeting and increasing fund balance from prior years. Chairman Yoder said that as of Jan. 31, 2026, the general fund is effectively debt free (water and sewer enterprise funds retain separate debt), a point confirmed during the presentation.

The board moved and unanimously approved the audit as presented. County manager Justin Mundy then introduced four budget ordinance amendments (Nos. 20–23) covering sheriff’s office grant budgets for Viper radios and detention medical expenses, closeout and reimbursements for a STRAP grant project, fire district fund true-up adjustments and closeout of a Paragon Films Rail Project fund; the board approved those amendments. The consent agenda (tax abatements and refunds, minutes, appointments and line-item transfer report) was approved by unanimous vote. The meeting then recessed to a closed session on a real-property negotiation under N.C. Gen. Stat. § 143-318.