Worley questioned audit firm’s comments

Representatives of Geer & Associates said that while revenues declined in FY2008 and the county’s reserves lost ground, most departments kept spending in check and spent less than had been budgeted.

“As the year went on and the revenues were not coming in, you reacted by how you spent your budget,” said Bill Rambo.

He said when he began meeting with county administrators last fall, the administrators were taking “proactive” steps to deal with declining revenues.
But commissioner Steve Worley questioned that assessment.

“You said they were being proactive around September 2008,” he said. “If you’re being proactive, why would you estimate your revenues to be higher in (the budget for) 2009 if you knew they already were going down?”

Rambo said he couldn’t answer that question without looking at some financial details.

The consultants walked the board through several financial statements and other information, but they did not comment on the overall health of the county’s financial position.