05/22/2018
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo (May 22, 2018) State Auditor Nicole Galloway today released an audit of Centertown, located in western Cole County, which received a rating of "good". The audit, which was requested by citizens through the petition process, made several recommendations to improve fiscal procedures and the utility system.
"Audits provide a path forward so that operations can be improved and restore taxpayers' confidence in their local government," Auditor Galloway said. "It appears Centertown officials are doing just that by working to comprehensively address our findings and implement the recommendations."
Audit work focused on the previous fiscal year, which ended on May 31, 2017. That year, bank reconciliations were not performed, a budget could not be provided and financial statements were not published as required by law. These concerns appear to have been addressed during the following fiscal year — bank reconciliations are taking place, a budget was approved by the board of trustees and annual financial statements were published. The board also indicated the village addressed recommendations to improve payroll processes by formally approving pay rates for all employees and requiring them to submit timesheets for approval.
The report also highlighted errors made within the utility system. A $100 refundable security deposit is required to be paid by all new customers, but the deposits have not been properly tracked and could not be accurately accounted for. The audit also found late penalties for some customers had incorrectly been doubled. The village identified 26 customers affected by the error, who will receive a credit on a future bill to refund the overpaid amounts.
The report also included recommendations to improve compliance with the Sunshine Law and ensure electronic data is protected.
The complete audit report of the Village of Centertown is here.
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