County auditors issue clean opinion; recommend stronger finance-treasurer reconciliation
September 16, 2026 | San Miguel County, Colorado
This article was created by AI summarizing key points discussed. AI makes mistakes, so for full details and context, please refer to the video of the full meeting. Please report any errors so we can fix them. Report an error »
San Miguel County's external auditor, Hinkle & Company, delivered an unmodified (clean) opinion on the county's 2025 financial statements and related federal program testing at the Sept. 16 meeting.
Jim Hinkle, the lead auditor, told commissioners the audit found no material weaknesses or significant deficiencies and issued clean opinions under both generally accepted accounting principles and single-audit testing of selected federal programs. "Yours is technically referred to as an unmodified opinion, which in layman's term is a clean opinion," Hinkle said. He also described required communication letters and recommended operational improvements: closer, timelier communication between the finance office and the treasurer's office; shared reconciliations and bank-statement access; daily petty-cash controls; and verification steps to reduce vendor-payment fraud. Treasurer Brandy Hatfield told commissioners the treasurer's office already double-verifies cash and follows verification policies for banking changes.
Auditors told the board they plan to submit the final audit to state and federal clearinghouses by the Sept. 30 extended deadline and offered to return to brief commissioners on government financial statements and new GASB disclosure requirements. Commissioners thanked audit and finance staff for cooperation during the process.
Jim Hinkle, the lead auditor, told commissioners the audit found no material weaknesses or significant deficiencies and issued clean opinions under both generally accepted accounting principles and single-audit testing of selected federal programs. "Yours is technically referred to as an unmodified opinion, which in layman's term is a clean opinion," Hinkle said. He also described required communication letters and recommended operational improvements: closer, timelier communication between the finance office and the treasurer's office; shared reconciliations and bank-statement access; daily petty-cash controls; and verification steps to reduce vendor-payment fraud. Treasurer Brandy Hatfield told commissioners the treasurer's office already double-verifies cash and follows verification policies for banking changes.
Auditors told the board they plan to submit the final audit to state and federal clearinghouses by the Sept. 30 extended deadline and offered to return to brief commissioners on government financial statements and new GASB disclosure requirements. Commissioners thanked audit and finance staff for cooperation during the process.
Don't Miss a Word: See the Full Meeting!
Go beyond summaries. Unlock every video, transcript, and key insight with a Founder Membership.
✓
Get instant access to full meeting videos
✓
Search and clip any phrase from complete transcripts
✓
Receive AI-powered summaries & custom alerts
✓
Enjoy lifetime, unrestricted access to government data
30-day money-back guarantee
