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Independent auditor says parish financial statements will receive unmodified opinion, notes small theft reported
Summary
The independent auditor told the council he expects an unmodified opinion on the parish financial statements, found no material weaknesses, but reported an "other matter" involving a misappropriation of supplies in January 2025 with exposure about $6,384.50 and restitution ordered of $5,802 (not yet paid).
The independent auditor told the council the audit is nearing completion and said the team expects to "issue an unmodified opinion," indicating the financial statements contain no material misstatements. He told the meeting there are no material weaknesses or significant deficiencies to report to the legislative auditor.
The auditor said the report will include an "other matter" required by the legislative auditor related to a January 2025 incident in which supplies were taken by an employee. On the amount he initially said "6,000 and change," and later provided a more precise figure in response to council questions: "It was $6,384.50," and he said restitution of $5,802 was ordered but had not been paid as of the meeting. The auditor outlined the reporting steps: the parish must report instances of fraud to the legislative auditor and local law enforcement, and the legislative auditor reviews and instructs on follow-up.
Council members asked about corrective steps; parish staff said the employee was terminated, the matter was referred to the Covington Police Department, and changes to the access-card system are being implemented to prevent similar duplicate‑name access problems. The council did not take formal action at the meeting beyond receiving the audit update.
