Las Animas County receives 2014 audit report  Audit finds LAC in compliance with federal and state accounting law

by Bill Knowles
TRINIDAD — The Las Animas County Board of County Commissioners, during a regular meeting on October 22, received the 2014 fiscal year audit report from the county’s auditing firm Dixon, Waller and Company.
The report looked across the entire spectrum of financial activity conducted by the county and gave its operation for 2014 the green light.  The firm did not identify any deficiencies in internal control, the county’s use of taxpayer revenues, or government funding that could be considered a material weakness.
The county was also found to be free from material misstatements.  Several tests of its compliance with certain provisions of laws, regulations, contracts, and grant agreements were performed during the audit to determine the county’s compliance with government auditing standards.
Deficiencies exist when the design or operation of a control does not allow management or employees, in the normal course of performing their assigned work, to prevent, or detect and correct misstatement on a timely basis.  Deficiencies can lead to material weaknesses, which are broken down in internal control “to the degree that the possibility of a material misstatement of the county’s financial statements will not be prevented, or detected and corrected on a timely basis.”
Compliance for each major federal program the county administers was also found to be in line with government regulations for the use of federal funds.   The major programs the Department of Human Services in Las Animas County administers are the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) funded at $794,000, the Low-Income Energy Assistance Program (LEAP) funded at $580,000, the Foster Care program under Title IV-E funded at $252,000, and the Title XIX Medicaid program funded at $226,000.
The county’s investment rating on money market funds is AAA.  The Government National Mortgage Association (Ginne Mae) carries the backing of the U.S. Government, as does the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae) which is also rated senior to AAA by Standard and Poors.
In other business, the county commission approved with a 3-0 vote the renewal of a liquor license for the Ludlow Valley Liquor store in Trinidad.  They also approved the payment of bills and payroll for the first half of October 2015.  
The commissioners went into executive session at 10 am.  When they came out of the session no further actions were taken.  They adjourned shortly after.