Finance director explains city audit and use of city software for more efficient accounting

GENTRY -- Two city finance committee meetings were held on April 12 at city hall to advise council members on accounting changes and improvements being made at city hall, especially in regard to water department accounts.

Tonya Carney, the city's finance director, explained to council members some changes in the use of accounting software and how that will change the appearance of financial reports but also streamline the city's accounting practices. She explained how making full use of the software capabilities makes tasks easier for employees to complete and provides better accounting of all monies received and spent by the city.

The city's water department billing was one example in which she showed council members how the city's software made it possible for the city to bill and collect billed amounts for water used. She shared with council members some of the reports the software can generate and some of the ways in which use of the software provides savings to the city.

Carney also explained to council members two deficiencies in the state audit of the city. One was related to the small size of the city and not being able to have enough employees to divide financial duties among separate employees. She said very few cities in Arkansas are able to meet the recommendation of the state auditors because they are not big enough to hire the number of employees needed to meet the auditing guidelines -- a problem also shared by many school districts. Carney did explain how the city does divide duties to protect against the possibility of fraud on the part of city employees.

A second deficiency, Carney explained, was related to not having enough information following a change in water department billing staff. She explained that this has been corrected and the state auditor has now been provided with all requested information.

Council members were impressed with the changes made by Carney and city staff and said they were pleased with the accounting changes and with the improved accountability for city funds.