By Erin Smith
The Bladen County Board of Commissioners met on Monday and was presented with the annual audit for FY 2014-15.
Bryon Scott, of Thompson, Price, Scott and Adams, said that the audit was an unmodified opinion which he said was the best the county could receive. He said he and his staff did not encounter any difficulties during the audit and they were in constant communication with Bladen County Manager Greg Martin and Finance Director Lisa Coleman.
Scott said he and his team look at things such as accounting procedures and evaluate them. He said they also examine certain state required procedures.
He added that were some issues and with Medicaid compliance and eligibility. Scott that everyone in question was determined to be eligible and that a corrective plan is being created and put into place to avoid this in the future. The board voted to accept the audit as presented.
Next, Lisa Coleman went over the financial dashboard for the period ending Feb. 29 with the board. She said that in Revenues, the county has collected 74.17 percent of the revenues and has 64.1 percent in expenditures. In solid waste the county collected 79.7 percent in revenues and had 64.76 percent in expenditures. Emergency Telephone had 23.27 percent in revenues and 52.03 percent in expenditures. In the water fund, the county collected 69.06 percent of the revenues and had 43.92 percent in expenditures.
Coleman then discussed the bids for the audit contract. She said she had mailed out eight packets and only received back three bids. The three bids received were from Thompson Price Scott and Adams for $117,400 which includes a state procedure. S. Preston Douglas and Associates for $118,400 and W. Greene LLC for $129,000 which does not include a state procedure.
The board voted to approved the contract for Thompson, Price, Scott and Adams.
** The Bladen County Board of Education also went before the board to request a lottery application in the amount of $267,000 for a roof for Booker T. Washington Primary School. Dr. Heavenridge told the board the roof had suffered a failure over the media center and is need of repair.
** The board appointed Don White to the Bladen County Planning Board and the Rev. Larry Hayes to the Keep Bladen Beautiful Committee and reappointed Kristen Woodruff. The board tabled a decision on the Juvenile Crime Prevention Council and re-appointed Marcia deAndrade to the White Lake Planning and Zoning Board of Adjustment.
** The next MCAB is scheduled for Tuesday night at 7 p.m. at the Bladenboro Community Building.
** The board scheduled a meeting to discuss property tax issues at 5:30 p.m. on March 31. There will also be a budget session on March 31 at 6 p.m.
** The board approved an agreement with ECS Carolinas LLP for the special inspections services related to the law enforcement and detention center and approved a contract with Moffat-Nichols for engineering services for the construction of fish ladders at the lock and dam No. 2 and 3.
** The board held a closed session to discuss personnel and took no action on the matter in the open session.
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