Auditors give good grade to Moses Lake

State issues no finding to city for fourth year

MOSES LAKE — State auditors gave the city of Moses Lake another passing grade last week.

A report issued by the State Auditor's Office Friday found no problems with the way the city operated during the 2005 calendar year.

The 2005 audit is the fourth straight with a clean bill of health for the city.

"The City complied with state laws and regulations and its own policies and procedures in the areas we examined," The report states. "Internal controls were adequate to safeguard the public's assets."

City finance director Ron Cone said the city was pleased by the report.

"We're real pleased, the council is pleased, I'm pleased," Cone said. "The financial report for the city is excellent, it takes everybody in the city staff." He added that all of the city's departments need to conform to the same local, state and federal accounting rules.

Auditors last found problems in 2001, but those problems have since been resolved.

The audit report covers the cities compliance during the 2005 calendar year, when the city operated on an approximately $60 million budget and with 363 full- and part-time employees.

City Manager Joe Gavinski said the city was happy to hear about the good news in the audit.

"I think that it is a good reflection of how the city is operating at this point," he said.

State auditors reported no findings but made three minor recommendations to city staff, concerning mostly the inclusion of certain items into city council minutes. Gavinski said the recommendations were essentially housekeeping issues, some of which were already being performed by the city.

This year's report came out four months earlier than the one last year, which Cone attributes to the city's familiarity with a new accounting system which was initially required by state auditors a few years ago.

"We've improved the speed with which we can get it done," Cone said.

Cone said the city has set a goal of having its annual financial report done and audited within 150 days of the end of the end of the 2005 audit year, in an effort to also receive a certificate of excellence in its financial reporting.

The Government Finance Officers Association issues the certificates of excellence to cities to determine how they rate in their financial reporting compared to other cities on a national level. The city has submitted its financial report to the Government Finance Offices Association and hope to find out in the next six months whether or not they have received the certificate of excellence.