From Colfax County Manager Monte Gore
July 17, 2024
Subject: Commitment to Transparency and Addressing Financial Concerns
As part of the Colfax County Board of Commissioners commitment to financial accountability and transparency, I was directed as the County Manager to share the findings and actions taken.
Following the departure of the County’s Financial Specialist, the County has contracted with Mrs. Leslie Tai Pettigrew, a Certified Public Accountant (CPA). Mrs. Pettigrew is an experienced professional with 15 years in governmental accounting and she was assigned to review the county’s operational budget in depth.
The following key observations were made to the Board of Commissioners in the last meeting:
- Systemic Spending Increases: Over the last five years, there have been gradual spending increases, even though the revenue was unable to keep up and match the expenses.
- Lack of Reconciliation and Budget Maintenance: We identified a lack of regular reconciliation and budget maintenance practices.
- Safeguard Circumvention: Efforts were made to bypass built-in safeguards within the county’s management software.
- Inadequate Reporting: Department Heads were advised if expenditures did not exceed the bottom line, the overall budget would be ok. Unfortunately, no adjustments were made to line items and the severity was not reported to the Commission or County Manager.
- Communication Gap: There was a failure to promptly notify the Board of Commissioners and County Manager about the deteriorating financial situation.
- Stress on Budget: Cashflow constraints from prior grant obligations and non-recurring expenses further strained county reserves.
To address these concerns, the Board of Commissioners has scheduled special meetings and is actively working with county management and the CPA. We remain committed and will communicate updates throughout our process or as necessary.
