Finance committee moves audit engagement with Amick and Company toward approval, with state licensure contingency

The Jackson City finance committee voted to substitute the engagement document and move forward with consideration of an engagement letter with Amick and Company to complete the city's overdue fiscal-year audits for 2024 and 2025, but council members insisted any final contract include contingencies to meet Mississippi state registration and licensure requirements.

Dr. Douglas Allen, owner of Amick and Company (the firm proposed to audit the city), told the committee he planned to start planning on March 1, conduct interim field work in March and April, complete year-end field work in May and finalize the FY2024 audit by June 30, 2026, then move directly into the FY2025 audit. "We assembled a team that specifically handles municipalities," Allen said, adding the firm intends to maintain an on-site presence and hold weekly progress meetings so "we don't have to revisit that later."

Why it matters: Jackson is behind on its audits, and the city's 2023 report included 22 audit findings that the new auditor said he will follow up on. Committee members said they want clear commitments that the firm will help the city correct repeated deficiencies and not repeat problems that prolonged previous audits.

CFO Jillian Caldwell told the committee legal staff had prepared a substitute engagement…