Auditor Galloway releases Sullivan County audit; report identifies several areas for improvement, gives rating of "fair"

State Auditor Nicole Galloway today released an audit of Sullivan County, located in northern Missouri. The report, gave a rating of "fair" and highlighted several controls and procedures in county offices that need improvement. The rating is an improvement from the previous audit, which gave the lowest possible rating of "poor."

"While this audit showed some improvement from the 2017 report, several of the same conditions we found then were still present," Auditor Galloway said. "I urge local officials to implement the recommendations my office makes in the audit in order to more efficiently serve the taxpayers of Sullivan County."

The audit identified the need for improved accounting procedures in the Prosecuting Attorney's Office, including better supervisory review of detailed accounting and bank records, adequate segregation of accounting duties, and monthly reconciliations of bank accounts. In addition, the office did not always timely disburse bad check and restitution payments to victims or fees received to the County Treasurer, or always deposit receipts timely or intact.

The audit also found the Public Administrator did not always file annual settlements timely and did not prepare any monthly bank reconciliations for ward accounts during the audit period.  In addition, the County Clerk and the County Commission need better review procedures of the County Collector's financial activities; some county offices need to improve electronic data security; the county needs to develop electronic records management and retention policies; and the county's procedures for maintaining minutes of County Commission meetings need improvement.

A copy of the audit can be found here.