Grand Prairie auditors issue clean opinion on FY2025 finances

The City of Grand Prairie’s independent auditors presented the fiscal-year 2025 audit and issued an unmodified opinion, the highest level of assurance available for financial statements. "We have issued an unmodified opinion," said Jennifer Ripka, the engagement partner, telling the council the audit and the single-audit testing of federal financial assistance programs produced no material weaknesses, significant deficiencies or uncorrected misstatements.

Ripka told the council auditors performed interim fieldwork in September and final work in December and January, and that the audit included compliance testing tied to federal uniform guidance and other laws and agreements. She flagged improper revenue recognition and management override of controls as common audit risks auditors considered, but she said the firm found no related audit findings in the city’s books. "There were no audit findings associated with that test work," she said.

Council members pressed for detail on a large net deficit figure they read from the statements. A council member characterized a change as a $41,000,000 deficit when reading the totals on page 31; auditors and the controller said that figure reflects a net result and does not include below-the-line items such as bond proceeds or internal transfers and that the ending governmental fund balance is reported for the year ended Sept. 30, 2025 (see page 31). Auditors confirmed they identified no significant subsequent events. The presentation ended with staff offering to provide any follow-up detail requested by council.