Measure H oversight panel approves 2023–24 compliance report amid public concerns over delayed audits

Ceres — The Measure H Citizens Oversight Committee voted 3–0 on May 13 to accept the annual compliance report for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, after a presentation by the city finance director.

Vanessa Portillo, finance director for the City of Ceres, told the committee the report was an accountant’s compliance review prepared under American Institute of Certified Public Accountants attestation standards and that "there were no findings noted of any of the procedures conducted by the certified public accountants." She summarized the fund totals as $4,700,000 in revenue and $5,800,000 in expenditures for FY 2023–24, with $3,400,000 charged to police activities and $2,400,000 to fire activities; cash reserves at year-end were $241,000.

During the public-comment period, Galan Guzman said the report should have been reviewed earlier and raised transparency concerns. "It just seems like you guys haven't been doing your job or your due diligence of reviewing each fiscal year's Measure H funds," Guzman said, and asked whether a special meeting would be scheduled to review fiscal 2024–25 after the city’s financial audit is complete.

A committee member responded that he had requested a forensic audit previously and had forwarded that request to the City Council. "I did request a forensic audit a couple of years ago, and that request was forwarded on to the city council," said the committee member, adding he did not know what happened after it was forwarded.

Cerny moved to approve the resolution accepting the report; the motion was seconded and carried on a roll call vote with committee members Huerta, Cerny and Truffaut voting yes and two members absent. The committee took no further action on Guzman’s request during the meeting.

The meeting record shows the report was accepted and the committee adjourned; no additional schedule for reviewing the FY 2024–25 audit was announced at the session.