County's Lack of Oversight Leads to Audit Findings

The Sumner County Commission hasn't been keeping up with recommendations to have an Audit Committee and properly review departmental budgets.  That's the takeaway from the most recent Comptroller's Audit of the County's finances.

The Audit, conducted by the state Comptroller's Office, found several repeat deficiencies in the way County departments conduct business.  These inefficiencies could end up costing taxpayers. 

Most disturbing, however, is that the state recommends that County governments have permanent Audit Committees in addition to their Budget Committees in order to carefully review state audits and recommend improvements. 

Sumner has only sporadically had an Audit Committee since 2005 (when the recommendation went into place).  Now, it appears that rather than being proactive, the Commission (chaired by Merrol Hyde) is reacting to unfavorable state findings. 

A more thorough review by the Budget Committee on the front end and the existence of an Audit Committee on the back end could have addressed these issues years earlier had Commission leaders chosen to act more responsibly.

The lack of due diligence on the part of Commissioners means the committee was formed quickly and will now have to work fast to address findings identified in the most recently list of departmental shortcomings.