There's a special McLean County Board meeting scheduled for Tuesday. The reason is to accept and approve the annual audit. That's usually the most boring as boring can be action. This year, not so much.
The county external audit should have been done months ago. County auditor Michelle Anderson has charge of that. Anderson hasn't returned WGLT messages asking for clarification.
At the county board finance committee meeting this month, Veterans Commission Chair Art Rodriguez asked for help getting money approved for programs like helping wounded veterans get outdoors to see woods and wildlife. Rodriguez said he contacted the auditor's office.
"And all of a sudden we find out Monday that the paperwork starts moving after we filed that complaint," said Rodriguez, adding it's very frustrating.
"I go by there. I see stacks of papers. I don't see an auditor. My taxes are paying $80,000-some odd dollars for an employee that doesn't show up. And I just can't tolerate this anymore," said Rodriguez.
It's not just Rodriguez. The county's IT department has complained in committee meetings it has had trouble paying bills.
At the county board meeting last week, board members even borrowed from Peter to pay Paul.
"This is a request to be able to transfer monies from our general fund to support the PBC, debts that we owe to the Public Building Commission. The reason that we are requiring this transfer resolution is because of the late audit," County Administrator Cassie Taylor responded to a board question.
That was not a small amount of money. The transfer was nearly $4 million.
So what's going on?
Jeff Lord of Normal is a retired national bank examiner. He told the county board during a recent public comment that he was surprised to learn the 2024 audit wasn't finished. Lord said the consequences can be severe.
"The external audit firm of CliftonLarsonAllen was charging extra fees. Federal and state funds were frozen. And the county treasurer was not allowed to distribute money from the tax bills to county agencies until the audit is completed and approved," said Lord.
Lord said the lack of a current audit on file also means the county treasurer can’t invest property tax money collected over the short term.
"This cannot be made up. Those dollars have been left on the table," said Lord.
He said this is a significant weakness. And it's getting worse. The annual audit had been finished in May for years, until 2023 when it was late June. In 2024 it was in August. This year, it didn't come in until Oct. 10, he said.
The audit firm needs work from another contractor with the county [an actuarial firm] before it can do its work. A source told WGLT Anderson had not secured the contract for actuarial services even by June, when she asked the county administration for help. That's after the time the audit is usually approved by the county board.
"I did not understand why the board is not taking corrective action," said Lord.
Therein lies a tale.
Anderson has been in office since 2009. Numerous times over the years, Anderson has tangled with other county office holders and departments. A big law enforcement grant was lost. The county has violated provisions of mental health grants. Bills have been paid late. Twice, measures have appeared on the ballot to abolish the office of auditor and make it a hired position within county administration. It's not constitutionally required as an elective office. Those measures failed, the latest just last year.
Voters have elected Anderson four times despite the ongoing controversies.
Other county employees, officials, and office holders have felt handcuffed by the shield an independent elected office gives Anderson. They are usually unwilling to go public with their dissatisfaction.
County officials asking for anonymity say the delay in the audit has been a big headache. The state comptroller's office requires an approved audit be on file with the state. There are supposed to be fines for noncompliance, but the county has quietly asked for grace on that issue. The comptroller does still require the audit before it will distribute grant money.
And that has held up more than the veterans programs Art Rodriguez talked about.
Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity grants have yet to flow to the county. And the McLean County Regional Planning Commission has been unable to hire a housing coordinator to work with individuals and nonprofit agencies to find ways and money to address the community housing crisis.
"I don't know if we can bypass the auditor's office, or we just need to ask for a resignation," Rodriguez said at the county board meeting. "I hope you guys can help me. And if the auditor is here, which I probably doubt, go find another job."
And even though the county board doesn't have many ways to deal with the independent elected office Anderson holds, Lord, the retired bank examiner, said it's a serious concern that needs board attention.
The special meeting of the McLean County Board to accept the audit begins at 4 p.m. Tuesday at the Government Center.
