Century Looks To Hire New Auditing Firm : NorthEscambia.com

After missing a state law mandated audit deadline every year for about a decade, the Town of Century is looking to hire a new auditor.

The town previously contracted with Warren Averett CPAs and Advisors of Pensacola, but that relationship came to an end when their contract expired September 30.

Warren Averett’s other local government clients include Escambia County, the City of Pensacola, City Milton and Santa Rosa County. Interim town manager Howard Brown said the town does not wish to hire Warren Averitt again.

The Century “Auditor Selection Committee” met Tuesday night to begin the process of selecting a new auditing firm by issuing a request for proposals for a new firm while following state guidelines.

The legal deadline for submitting the Annual Financial Report, often referred to simply as an audit, to the Florida Department of Financial Services is June 30 of each year.

As of January 9, Century’s 2021-22 fiscal year audit that was due June 30, 2023, had not been received and posted online by the Florida Auditor General, as NorthEscambia.com first reported on December 31.

The last audit with the state three months late for fiscal year  2020-21 found a deficit balance in the General Fund of $2.9 million and in the Natural Gas Fund of $1.8 million. A list of deficiencies and problems were also identified, many repeated from previous years.

A 2019 grand jury report that found gross mismanagement in the town, over a million dollars lost in utility operations, missing natural gas, about $3 million improperly borrowed from accounts with a 750-year payback plan, and a state of financial emergency. The town has never worked to follow many of  the grand jury recommendations.

NorthEscambia.com file photo.