Audit stalls

Alexis Barker
NLJ Reporter
 
Weston County is yet to receive a completed audit from Porter, Muirhead, Cornia, Howard CPA of Casper, and CPA Vicki Nunn said she is not sure the firm will be able to conduct the county’s audit in the future. 
Nunn was scheduled to present her auditor’s report to the Weston County commissioners on Feb. 19 during
their regularly scheduled meeting, but she instead held a conference call with commissioners to discuss the status of the audit. 
“We are scurrying to get the work done. It is not complete yet,” Nunn told the commissioners. 
According to Nunn, issues similar to those faced by the firm in the past occurred again this year, with two different entities not submitting the proper paperwork in a timely manner. Nunn said that the Weston County Friends of the Fair and the Central Weston County Solid Waste District did not provide all the required documentation to the firm in time to have the audit completed by the due date. 
“We can’t get information in January with the hopes of returning the audit quickly,” Nunn said. “We don’t have time to fit it into our schedules.” 
She noted that her firm is very busy and has recently lost several employees, placing an even larger burden on her and remaining CPAs to complete the necessary work for the county. 
Nunn suggested that the county request proposals from other firms that may want to take over the county’s audit because she does not see her firm continuing to do the work. 
“It is very difficult with all the component units, making sure we get all the information we need,” Nunn said. 
She said that she understands that it’s volunteers, in some cases, who must provide the proper information, something that may not be high on their priority list. 
“Having Jill (Sellers, former county clerk) to help coordinate all the component units worked better, but I don’t know how to make this work any better in the future,” Nunn said. “Maybe if you found someone local, they could make it work better. We end up with a lot of money into your audit, and I would rather not commit and then not make the commitment.”
“Without Jill helping, I can’t see this working as well in the future,” Nunn stated. 
Nunn did promise to make a transition to a new firm as seamless as possible, providing all the proper documentation the firm would need. She also offered to provide any potential firms she could think of to the board. 
“If you can’t find anyone to do it, which is a possibility, let me know and maybe we can work something out,” Nunn said. 
“I don’t want you guys left out in a lurch. I am hoping you can find someone to do the work, hopefully more efficiently,” Nunn stated. 
Commissioner Marty Ertman asked whether the county and Nunn’s firm were under contract for the current audit and whether this year’s audit would be completed by the Casper firm and given to the county at the soonest-possible date. Nunn confirmed that this year’s audit would be completed by the firm.
The commissioners agreed to request proposals from firms interested in taking over future county audits.