Port of Othello gets high marks for audit

OTHELLO — The Port of Othello received a squeaky-clean report in three categories from the Washington State Auditor’s Office. State Auditor Pat McCarthy found no discrepancies in an accountability audit for the three-year period of 2014-2016, a financial statement audit for 2016, nor in a federal grant compliance audit for 2016 as well.

“It was a good audit — the best one we’ve had since I have been here,” said Director of the Port of Othello Doyle Palmer. “I attribute this to our great staff at the Port.”

Comments released in a press release from McCarty’s office listed no uncorrected misstatements in the audited financial statements, and no material misstatements in the financial statements corrected by management during the audit. There were no findings or management letter items in the prior audit as well.

Additional comments from McCarty’s office praised the Port staff. “We appreciate the Port’s organization and responding promptly to our request, which helped the audit run smoothly and timely. Port staff is friendly and easy to work with.”

The Port’s next scheduled audit will be in 2020 and will cover accountability for public resources for fiscal years 2017-2019.

“There is a possibility of triggering an audit sooner than 2020 if we have a project that runs upwards of $500,000,” Palmer said. “It’s termed a single audit. The last one we had was the airport project that cost over $1 million.”