Auditor: Cecil Township Municipal Authority posts stronger finances in 2025; auditor issues unmodified opinion
July 22, 2026 | Cecil, Washington County, Pennsylvania
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An independent auditor told the Cecil Township Municipal Authority on July 21 that the Authority’s financial position improved in 2025, driven by an expanding customer base, higher service rates and larger tap-in fees. The auditor, Mr. Turnley, presented a five-year net-position history and summarized the highlights for the board.
Turnley said the Authority’s overall net position is composed of three parts: infrastructure (nonspendable assets), restricted assets (by bond trust indenture) and the unrestricted portion — the liquid funds available for operations. "That net position that I talked about ... is the overall net position, but that net position ... is combined of 3 components," he said, noting roughly $18 million tied to infrastructure and about $1 million in restricted assets.
The auditor showed a sustained increase in the unrestricted net position over the last three years and tied the improvement to higher net income. "These particular reasons: increase in the customer base, increase in service rates charged ... increased tap in fees," he said.
Turnley reviewed key financial ratios used by municipal authorities, including an operating ratio (about 71.5% using expenses as the divisor) and an operating-revenues-to-expenses figure he reported as about 1.4. He told the board the Authority’s current ratio was unusually strong and would be higher still if certificate-of-deposit investments were included in the calculation. He suggested the Authority could consider moving some cash into longer-term CDs as building projects wind down.
On governance and controls, Turnley noted the Authority faces the common small-government issue of limited segregation of duties but described that as a frequent auditor comment rather than a material finding. He told the board the audit report contained an "unmodified opinion," the auditing term for what used to be called a "clean" opinion, meaning the financial statements were presented in conformity with the applicable reporting rules.
Board members thanked Turnley for translating the audit's technical details into accessible language. No formal motion to accept the audit report was recorded on the transcript during the meeting; Turnley concluded by inviting questions and left after the Q&A.
The Authority will retain the audit report in its records; the audit also notes areas for ongoing attention (segregation of duties and monitoring of recurrent operational equipment failures discussed later in the meeting).
Turnley said the Authority’s overall net position is composed of three parts: infrastructure (nonspendable assets), restricted assets (by bond trust indenture) and the unrestricted portion — the liquid funds available for operations. "That net position that I talked about ... is the overall net position, but that net position ... is combined of 3 components," he said, noting roughly $18 million tied to infrastructure and about $1 million in restricted assets.
The auditor showed a sustained increase in the unrestricted net position over the last three years and tied the improvement to higher net income. "These particular reasons: increase in the customer base, increase in service rates charged ... increased tap in fees," he said.
Turnley reviewed key financial ratios used by municipal authorities, including an operating ratio (about 71.5% using expenses as the divisor) and an operating-revenues-to-expenses figure he reported as about 1.4. He told the board the Authority’s current ratio was unusually strong and would be higher still if certificate-of-deposit investments were included in the calculation. He suggested the Authority could consider moving some cash into longer-term CDs as building projects wind down.
On governance and controls, Turnley noted the Authority faces the common small-government issue of limited segregation of duties but described that as a frequent auditor comment rather than a material finding. He told the board the audit report contained an "unmodified opinion," the auditing term for what used to be called a "clean" opinion, meaning the financial statements were presented in conformity with the applicable reporting rules.
Board members thanked Turnley for translating the audit's technical details into accessible language. No formal motion to accept the audit report was recorded on the transcript during the meeting; Turnley concluded by inviting questions and left after the Q&A.
The Authority will retain the audit report in its records; the audit also notes areas for ongoing attention (segregation of duties and monitoring of recurrent operational equipment failures discussed later in the meeting).
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