County auditor reports unqualified opinion on 2024 financials, flags succession planning

My name is Jim Roberge, the auditor from Goldberg and Company, told the County Board of Commissioners that the firm issued an unqualified opinion on the county's financial statements for the fiscal year ended Dec. 31, 2024. "There were no material misstatements that we identified in your financials for the year," Roberge said. Roberge told commissioners the county is required to prepare its financial statements and implement internal controls; the auditors perform an opinion on the reasonableness of those statements. He said the audit did not identify material weaknesses or significant deficiencies in internal control and that the firm performed extensive substantive testing, including approximately 90% of revenues and substantial payroll testing. Roberge also described the county's federal reporting obligations: because the county expended more than $750,000 in federal funds, it was required to undergo a single audit with compliance testing. He said the auditors did not identify noncompliance with federal program requirements. The auditor reviewed the county's fund balance position and said that, while the policy target is roughly 15' to 17% of operating budget, the county's unassigned fund balance decreased in 2024. Roberge said the budget produced a net change that reduced fund balance by about $2 million; the unassigned fund balance reported was approximately $10.9 million and total fund balance about 12.9% (page reference provided in the packet). Roberge closed by urging the board to strengthen succession planning for key financial and management positions, noting a statewide trend of municipal turnover and difficulty filling long-tenured roles. "It's something that you really want to focus on and make sure that you have plans in place," he said. He offered the audit firm's availability for follow-up questions. The board did not take formal action on the audit presentation during the meeting; the auditor left the board with the financial statements, the auditor's letter, and the audit opinion included in the meeting packet. Less-critical details: the auditor said the firm has historically taken a conservative approach, testing many balance sheet accounts regardless of materiality, and that audit fieldwork also examined payroll-related benefits and other expenditures.