Grant County's financial statements late, again

Tardiness could jeopardize grant money eligibility

EPHRATA — For the second year in a row, Grant County failed to finish the financial statement portion of their audit in time for a review by the Washington State Auditor's Office, county officials said.

"We didn't meet the deadline," Grant County Auditor Bill Varney said. "Hopefully, we will be able to start earlier next year."

The county needed to have their financial statements completed by Oct. 31 to give the SAO enough time to complete a review and provide an opinion.

"Unless we're going to go out and borrow money, there isn't going to be much of an impact," Grant County Commission Chair LeRoy Allison said.

Both Varney and Allison said the county will have their financial statements completed by Dec. 31, with the help of accounting firm LeMaster & Daniels, but that will not be in time to receive the SAO's review and official opinion.

"We just ran out of time," Allison said.

Like last year, Grant County will now receive a "disclaimer of opinion" from the SAO, which means the SAO cannot determine whether the county's financial statements are actually correct, the two officials said.

Grant County Director of Public Works Derek Pohle said roughly 25 percent of his department's annual construction budget may be impacted by the county's late financial statements.

"It potentially puts the county's eligibility to receive grant money in jeopardy," Pohle said.

Pohle said each year his department receives about $2 million in grant money from the Federal Highway Administration for annual construction and bridge replacement, money that may now be in jeopardy.

"I'm mildly worried about it," he said.

Moses Lake Mayor Ron Covey said he is concerned that the county will not be able to borrow money because their financial statements were not in order.

"It appears to me to be poor business practice," Covey said.

He said the Grant County Fairgrounds needed to be renovated and updated, but now the county may not be able to borrow money for those capital improvements.

Grant County Fair and Facility Manger Al Holman declined to comment on any potential effects to the fairgrounds or the county's late financial statements.

"It's above my pay grade," he said. "Those decisions are made above my head."