SALAMANCA – The Salamanca City Council last week approved audits for 2013, as well as amended reports for 2010, 2011 and 2012.
The action comes as city officials work to improve bookkeeping skills, in the wake of problems encountered in previous years.
Cathie Bridges, a certified public accountant with R. A. Mercer & Co. of Cattaraugus, said some deficiencies dating back to 2010 were recently found on the city’s ledgers – including federal grants not recorded properly, if at all. One grant of $400,000 for Community Action and the city’s IDA never was recorded, Bridges said.
“These funds never touched the books – never,” said Bridges, who added that because of these problems, the city’s auditing practices are facing more scrutiny.
According to the general audit, the city saw a dramatic revenue decrease from 2012 to 2013. In The year ending March 2012, the city had $8,850,808 in revenue. That amount fell to $3,960,287 in 2013 – a 55 percent decrease. The difference was attributed primarily to a cut in state aid.
The action comes as city officials work to improve bookkeeping skills, in the wake of problems encountered in previous years.
Cathie Bridges, a certified public accountant with R. A. Mercer & Co. of Cattaraugus, said some deficiencies dating back to 2010 were recently found on the city’s ledgers – including federal grants not recorded properly, if at all. One grant of $400,000 for Community Action and the city’s IDA never was recorded, Bridges said.
“These funds never touched the books – never,” said Bridges, who added that because of these problems, the city’s auditing practices are facing more scrutiny.
According to the general audit, the city saw a dramatic revenue decrease from 2012 to 2013. In The year ending March 2012, the city had $8,850,808 in revenue. That amount fell to $3,960,287 in 2013 – a 55 percent decrease. The difference was attributed primarily to a cut in state aid.