Marshfield utilities audit gets clean opinion; commission approves report

Amber, the external auditor, presented the utilities’ annual audit and said the firm issued an unmodified — or "clean" — opinion after a risk-based review and testing.

The auditor told commissioners there were no material weaknesses in internal control and no uncorrected financial-statement misstatements. "Our audit opinion was unmodified," Amber said, adding that the firm did not identify any audit entries this year.

The presentation summarized 2025 financial highlights: the water utility reported operating income of about $2,100,000 (an increase of roughly $800,000 from the prior year), the electric utility reported operating income of about $4,200,000 (a decrease tied to purchase-power costs), and the communications utility reported operating income near $182,000.

Amber spent substantial time outlining upcoming Governmental Accounting Standards Board changes — including the standard described in the presentation as GASB 103 and related implementation guidance — that will change how the commission presents operating versus nonoperating items and the MD&A (management’s discussion and analysis). She said the new classifications will require staff to adopt new subcategories on next year’s statements and that the commission’s MD&A will likely need more discussion of policy changes, operations and debt.

Commissioners asked technical questions about revenue classification, the composition of the public-fire-protection charge and requests for additional items (including a return next year with a communications utility ROI). After questions, a motion to approve the audit was moved and seconded; the commission took a roll-call vote and the motion passed.

The commission did not amend the audit report at the meeting; staff said they will follow up on the specific revenue classification questions and will share implementation notes from other governments as entities adopt the new GASB standards.