City of Washington receives clean audit report
Washington received a “clean audit opinion” for 2021 at Monday’s City Council meeting.
“There are no significant deficiencies or material weaknesses that we identified during the course of the audit,” said Gary Kissinger, CPA with Palermo/Kissinger & Associates. “It was a positive year.”
Kissinger said the city’s assets exceeded its liability by about $24 million.
“Your net position increased by about $1 million,” Kissinger said, adding that a key factor in that was American Rescue Plan funding the city received.
The city also paid down close to $1.6 million for its long-term debt, leaving about $8.1 million remaining to be paid. Kissinger said if the city keeps paying at the current pace and doesn’t take on additional debt, it can have the debt paid off in four years.
“The city has made a lot of effort to reduce its long-term debt over a lot of years,” Kissinger said.
Also noted was the city’s revenues exceeded its expenses by $1 million ($16.5 million to $15.5 million).
Mayor Scott Putnam was pleased with the report.
“It’s great that we’re showing improvement year after year,” Putnam said after the meeting. “It’s a testament to the hard work that our department heads have put in, being very frugal, spending what we need and not what we want.”
Council is expected to vote on a motion Thursday to approve a payment of $23,300 to Palermo/Kissinger for preparation of the audited financial statements.
Also, city police will be participating in a drug take-back event Oct. 29 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Details still need to be worked out regarding collection locations.
The event will allow people to dispose of unwanted, unused or expired prescription medication. There’s also a drop box available at the police station accessible from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Councilman Joe Pintola said the fall pickup of leaves begins Oct. 31 and will take place Monday, Wednesday and Friday for at least a month.
“It has to be bagged and it has to be on the curb,” he said.
Fire Chief Chris Richer said October is Fire Prevention Month and his department will be busy throughout the month.
“Our firefighters have been very proactive leading up to this month with scheduling, getting back into the schools and back into the senior centers,” Richer said. “Outside of a couple of Sundays, there’s not a single day where we’re not out there on multiple presentations and events.”
In other business, trick-or-treat will be held from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Oct. 31.