NATCHEZ — Adams County supervisors last week reviewed the annual 2015 independent audit, which listed two material weakness findings due to lack of internal control.

Board President Mike Lazarus said the board was glad to get the 2015 independent audit complete so the 2016 audit, which is due later this month, could be completed.

Lazarus said the financial preparers — now Natchez-based accounting firm The Gillon Group — needed the ending point of the 2015 audit to be a starting point for the 2016 audit cycle.

“Believe it or not, we don’t set out for our audit to be late,” Lazarus said. “We try to do everything possible to make sure it is on time.”

However, Lazarus said the problem is both a lack of independent financial preparers and auditors around the state.

“That’s why the state’s own audits are not on time,” Lazarus said. “You put it out for bid, and only one company responds. And that’s the same company doing it all over the state and what it amounts to is they are overextended.

“It’s getting to the point where accounting firms don’t like to fool with them. All across the state, half the counties are late.”

Lazarus said he hopes hiring a local company, The Gillon Group, to prepare the county’s finances for audit would make a difference going forward.

Lazarus said even though they are paying The Gillon Group approximately $14,000 more than the previous company, it is because The Gillon Group will be present every month during the year to make sure the financials are being done correctly.

“We have now hired (Gillon Group CPA) Deanne Tanksley and she will be in there monthly helping with the bookkeeping,” Lazarus said. “Her nose will be in every bit of it. Our finances should not be a problem next time.”

Lazarus said he also hoped having Tanksley more heavily involved would prevent the material weaknesses cited.

Auditing firm Fortenberry and Ballard of Brandon that completed the 2015 county audit found two weaknesses due to an ineffective system of internal control.

In the first, discrepancies were noted in several transactions between the amount recorded in the general ledger and the actual amount according to the bank statement. Some transactions were recorded incorrectly and others were not recorded at all.

The audit’s concern with not reconciling in a timely manner is a misstatement of the bank balance in the general ledger could result in the loss of public funds.

The second finding is due to the financial statements containing errors, including agency fund cash and liability difference being overstated by $342,170 and long-term debt difference was understated by $962,646.

The auditor received documentation from the county during the process and noted financial statement discrepancies received from the financial preparer, Shoemaker and Company of Clinton.

The audit recommends county officials review the financial statements from a third party scrupulously.

County Administrator Joe Murray stated in a letter from management that part of Gillon’s obligations would be periodic reporting financial statements and any concerns to management on a regular basis. Murray said Gillon’s duties also would include monthly reconciliation of the bank statements.

“This will certainly alleviate inaccurate reporting and will also ensure a more polished financial product at the end of the year,” Murray wrote.

When The Gillon Group was contracted in February, Tanksley said she would attempt to complete the 2016 audit on time, but that the monthly checkup benefit would be more substantial if the company were hired to prepare the financials in 2017, since they would be present for the full year.