The Town Council unanimously approved a resolution accepting the Town of Queen Creek’s fiscal year 2023–24 financial statements and audit reports after CliftonLarsonAllen (CLA) presented the firm’s audit results on Jan. 14.

Jean Marie Dietrich, principal with CLA, told the council the auditors would issue an unmodified ("clean") opinion and that the single‑audit testing for major federal programs produced no findings. "There were no significant deficiencies in internal control, no material weaknesses and clean unmodified opinions which is the highest level of assurance a CPA firm can provide," Dietrich said.

Dietrich highlighted accounting changes the auditors addressed in the year’s reporting, including implementation of GASB guidance on compensated absences and a reporting convention (GASB 100) related to fund presentation and any restatements. The auditors noted several past audit adjustments (including a contribution adjustment related to PSPRS and the accounting of a water‑storage credit) but characterized none of them as material to the financial statements as a whole.

Deputy Town Manager and CFO Scott McCarty summarized the audited results for council. He reported operating revenues of about $165 million for the fiscal year and operating expenditures near $150 million, producing an increase in fund balance of roughly $15.1 million. The town closed FY 2023–24 with a general‑purpose savings balance of about $153 million, its largest recorded balance, McCarty said. McCarty also described capital activity: the town added roughly $76 million in completed infrastructure to its assets during the year and reported nearly $350 million in incomplete projects at year‑end; the town also defeased roughly $20 million of debt and issued $50 million of interim financing to support infrastructure and development cash‑flow needs.

Following the presentations, the council voted unanimously to adopt Resolution No. 1625‑25 accepting the FY 2023–24 audited financial statements and related reports.

Votes at a glance

- Resolution No. 1625‑25 (Adopt FY 2023–24 financial statements and audit reports): Passed unanimously (7‑0). Motion made by Councilmember Benning; second by Vice Mayor Martineau. No findings or material weaknesses reported by auditors.

- Appointment of Vice Mayor Leah Martineau (term ending January 2026): Passed unanimously (7‑0). Motion to appoint made by Mayor Wheatley; second not specified in the record. Council formally confirmed Martineau to a second term as vice mayor.

- Consent agenda (routine items): Passed unanimously (7‑0). Motion by Councilmember McClure; second by Councilmember Benning.

The council also made a motion and voted to go into executive session at the end of the regular meeting; that motion passed unanimously. No substantive action items were taken in open session beyond the votes listed above.