Auditor says county in sound fiscal position; FEMA grants triggered extra testing

Van Zandt County's outside auditors presented a draft of the fiscal-year 2025 financial statements and said they expect to issue an unmodified (clean) opinion once a short round of final reviews is complete. Cameron Aaron, a supervisor with Pratilla Brown & Hill LLP, told the court the audit team found no material weaknesses to report.

Aaron said some FEMA grant receipts that exceeded the $1,000,000 threshold triggered separate single-audit compliance testing. He summarized the county's major funding figures, saying federal awards on the schedule totaled about $3.7 million and state awards about $1.3 million. "We are expecting to issue a clean opinion, an unmodified, opinion," Aaron said. He also noted the county's general-fund ending fund balance was roughly $13.1 million.

Commissioners asked questions about timing and remaining cleanup items in the management's discussion and analysis; Aaron said final reviews should be complete in roughly a week and the signed reports would then be mailed. The judge noted the county's FY25 budget had projected a $3 million shortfall but actual results added about $2.5 million back into reserves because some budgeted items were not spent. The presentation triggered brief discussion about single-audit thresholds and the county's ongoing accounting software conversion.

The auditors' comments will feed into the county's upcoming budget workshops and any remaining adjustments will be reflected in the final published financial statements.