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Burke County accepts FY2025 audit; unassigned fund balance falls below 25% target amid FEMA receivable
Summary
County managers and auditors presented the fiscal year 2025 audit. Management reported the unassigned fund balance declined to about 17.9% (below the 25% target), largely because of FEMA public‑assistance/debris costs and receivables; the audit firm reported no uncorrected misstatements and one technical Medicaid error.
Burke County leaders presented and the Board of Commissioners unanimously accepted the county's fiscal year 2025 audit, a review that highlighted stronger revenue diversification in some areas but an overall decline in the county's unassigned fund balance.
County management told the board the unassigned fund balance had declined to about 17.9% of annual expenditures, citing a large FEMA public‑assistance receivable tied to debris removal as the principal factor. The manager said the FEMA activity had "impacted that data point" and that the county would respond through established FEMA application and reporting channels.
The audit presentation summarized major financial points: general fund revenue composition (roughly 53.6% from property tax and about 20% from sales tax), EMS billing growth (management reported EMS billing reached about $7.5 million in the audit year), about $6.22 million in active grants, occupancy tax collections of about $1.3 million (most distributed to partners), and ongoing concerns about enterprise‑fund capital investment for water/sewer infrastructure.
Audit partner Alan Thompson said the firm's objective is to "issue an opinion on the financial statements as a whole" and reported no uncorrected misstatements, no disagreements with management, and only one technical finding in Medicaid testing. Thompson also noted an LGC (Local Government Commission) indicator requiring a unit response because accumulated depreciation exceeded 50% of fixed assets for one enterprise fund; management said it will respond to the LGC as requested.
On a motion to accept the audit as presented, the board voted unanimously to adopt the audit report. The county manager and finance staff were commended for their work preparing the statements.
