The Duncan Banner

Local News

September 18, 2012

Commissioners, county officers hear audit reports

Derrick Miller The Duncan Banner

DUNCAN — To wrap up two annual audits, the Board of Stephens County Commissioners met with Sherri Merel, with the Oklahoma State Auditor and Inspector’s Office, during an exit conference for those audits.

During Monday’s regular meeting, the commissioners and county officials listened as Merel made her way through the audits for the fiscal year 2010 and the fiscal year 2011.

Merel’s goal was to help the county find ways to make the audit process easier on the officers and the county clerk by pointing out ways each department could improve in keeping track of funds.

Some of her suggestions included dividing financial duties in the individual offices.

She said, in departments with at least three people, there can be clearly defined tasks.

One person can count a deposit.

Another person can double check that deposit. And a third person can take the deposit to the bank.

“It’s all very normal,” Merel said about her assessment of the county’s money handling. “Almost every county is the same.”

She said the audits for both years were unqualified reports, which she said is the best type of report to have when it comes to an annual audit.

After discussing the FY-10 audit, she said the audit for the 2011 fiscal year was similar.

In fact, she chose not to re-read the items that appeared on the 2010 audit and the 2011 audit once she got to the 2011 audit.

She didn’t have to read anything.

“Fiscal year ‘11 is basically the same as fiscal year ‘10,” Merel said.

In other action:

n The board approved a 2013 REAP Grant application for labor and materials to install a generator at the Stephens County Fair & Expo Center.

This item has been discussed several times in the past couple of years and spawned from the issue of the 2010 ice storm, when many Stephens County homes spent days and even weeks without electricity. At that time an emergency shelter was set up at the fairgrounds.

The commissioners also updated the Capital Improvement Plan to include the REAP Grant Project.

n The board approved a claim by Cobb Engineering Co. in the amount of $16,953. 58. This was in regards to an off-system bridge inspection service.

n The commissioners approved a transfer of funds within the Governmental Building Authority Fair Fund.

n The board approve the payment of any purchase orders and the issuance of any blanket purchase orders. Another weekly item approved was the minutes of the previous meeting, which was Sept. 4.

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