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County audit shows 'clean' opinion; finance director reports higher fund balance
Summary
Eaton County received an unmodified (clean) audit opinion and a reported gain in fund balance driven by valuation increases and unfilled positions; Ways and Means recommended acceptance and the board accepted the audit.
Eaton County's 09/30/2024 audit was finalized with an unmodified opinion, county auditors reported April 16, and county finance director Melissa Ballard told the Ways and Means Committee the county ended the year with about $1.6 million more in fund balance than anticipated.
"We did issue an unmodified opinion, which ... is considered to be a clean opinion," auditor Nathan Balderman said, adding the single-audit review of ARPA program spending produced no findings. Ballard told commissioners the revenue increase primarily reflected valuation growth (not a tax-rate increase) and higher interest and rent receipts; she also said personnel savings from intentionally unfilled positions produced a sizable portion of the positive fund-balance outcome.
Commissioners asked about Headley caps and long-term revenue constraints; Ballard reminded the board that statutory limits on millage increases mean revenue growth generally cannot match inflation, and she cited an approximate 18% rise in employee costs year over year that will pressure future budgets. The board voted to accept the audit and directed administration to continue providing budget details ahead of a special April 25 budget meeting for a line-by-line review.
