Gratiot County’s most recent audit has shown improvement from those done in past years.
Its fiscal year 2016-17 audit showed only four material weaknesses, the same as for the previous fiscal year audit but no significant deficiencies, as reported by Ali Barnes, who works for the county’s auditor Yeo and Yeo.
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“There’s a lot that’s been done and a lot more to do,” said County Administrator Tracey Cordes after Tuesday’s county commission meeting where Barnes presented the audit. The commission voted unanimously to accept the audit report.
The audit - which the county officially passed - found deficiencies with the county’s internal controls, or those processes for assuring an organization’s objectives are achieved in an operational and efficient way.
For example, an ongoing issue has been those dealing with audit entries and preparing of financial statements.
“This has been an issue for a very long time,” Barnes said. “(There are) some improvements in some areas but a long ways to go.”
Another material weakness found involved the county’s final approval of the fiscal year 2016-17 budget, which Barnes said happened after the previous fiscal year ended.
The county saw its tax revenue for its general fund decrease to just over $7 million, down from nearly $7.5 million.
Its expenditures remained just over $6 million, the same in 2015-16 fiscal year to the 2016-17 fiscal year.
Also at the meeting, the board approved adding the following millage items to the Aug. 7 primary ballot:
• a county emergency response duties proposal renewal that would be .45 mills and that would generate approximately $500,000 in its first year, according to Sheriff Doug Wright. A mill is equal to the amount of the mill of tax for each $1,000 of assessment property value in a municipality. Wright said without the millage, it is probable that up to five road deputy positions would have to be removed;
• a millage to maintain and expand services for the county’s Commission on Aging for .6492 mills through 2021. This proposal is a renewal for a millage passed in 2014 and is the same amount as passed at that time, according to executive director Jennifer Cook. If passed, the millage funds would pay for any services that exceed their budgeted amounts. It would generate approximately $847,000; and
• a county agriculture and economic development millage through 2022 that would generate approximately $655,442 in revenues in the first year for continuing services of Greater Gratiot Development and Michigan State University Extension.
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The next county commission meeting is at 4:30 p.m. on April 10 in the commissioners’ room at the county courthouse at 214 E. Center St. in Ithaca.