At a time when government financial bad news is awfully easy to come by, local government provided some important good news this week, as the Barton County Commission was briefed on its financial condition as of last year.
The Commission approved its 2010 audit, as presented by Amber Littler, representing Adams, Brown, Beran and Ball accountants.
Littler told the commissioners that the financial condition of the county was good. “It was a very good audit this year.”
She said the staff that oversees the daily running of the county’s financial matters were helpful and did a good job to make the audit a success. “We have issued a clean opinion ... which is very good,” she said, adding that the county also did well in a special segment of the audit that was required because the county utilized more than $500,000 in federal funds. That was due, in great part, to the funding that passed through the Barton County Health Department to help local mothers.
The county opened 2010, on Jan. 1, with a cash balance of $17,066,153. It had receipts of approximately $20,158,000 and expenditures of approximately $22,155,000. That left it with a cash balance on Dec. 31, 2010 of $15,076,572.
Throughout the county, Littler added, the department heads and elected officials kept close watch on finances. “You had no budget violations. ... That’s very good. Excellent.”
And the county is in an enviable position, one that is unknown in “higher” levels of government.
By the end of this year, Littler reported, the county is in line to be debt free. “That is somewhat rare now days.”
Financial Officer Janet Crane noted that status reflects some major projects in the county, too. She reported that by the end of the year, the county will have paid off its debt on the county jail and the improvements at the landfill.