Buncombe County audit committee approves extension of external audit contract

The Buncombe County Audit Committee voted to extend its external audit contract with Molden and Jenkins as presented, preserving the current $192,000 base fee and a proposed cost-not-to-exceed cap of $213,000 for fiscal year 2026. Committee members approved the extension by voice vote after a staff presentation on the contract history and pricing.

Finance staff told the committee the county has historically contracted a base price that covers five programs for single-audit testing, with an additional $7,000 per program billed only when auditors add programs after assessing grant risk. Last year the county paid only the base fee ($192,000) rather than an earlier projection of $220,000, staff said.

Staff also reminded the committee that the state’s submission deadline for financial reports moved from Oct. 31 to Dec. 31 last year, a shift that has made meeting deadlines easier and reduced the need for audit extensions, though outside factors such as federal guidance delays can still affect timing.

A committee member moved to approve the extension “as presented,” and the motion was seconded and passed by voice vote; the transcript does not include a roll-call tally. The committee did not authorize a new request for proposals at this time, citing the time-consuming nature of auditor selections and the value of continuity with a firm experienced in governmental accounting.

The committee then shifted to internal audit onboarding and other business. The extension takes effect for the county’s upcoming audit work cycle; staff will continue to manage contract execution and report back on any significant changes.