As Near as I can tell, I never saw an Accountant at any of the Town Council Meetings, and I haven't missed a one. The rationale behind the Accountant presenting the written document is so that the professional can respond to any questions the Town Council may have. Of course, in an environment where the document is handed out by the Town Manager, this opportunity to ask a professional opinion is denied Town Council. I wonder if the absence of the Accountant means that the law has not been met. Copies of the 5 most recent audits will be coming online on the citizen webpage soon. (Hey! It takes a little time to get all this stuff, scan it, and load it online. What do you expect for free:)
§ 15.2-2511. Audit of local government records, etc.; Auditor of Public
Accounts; audit of shortages.
A. Localities shall have all their accounts and records, including all
accounts and records of their constitutional officers, audited annually as of
June 30 by an independent certified public accountant in accordance with the
specifications furnished by the Auditor of Public Accounts. The certified
public accountant shall present a detailed written report to the local
governing body at a public session by the following December 31. Every
locality shall contract for the performance of the annual audit not later
than April 1 of each fiscal year and such contract shall incorporate the
provisions of this section relating to audit specifications and report date.
The report shall be preserved by the clerk of the local governing body, and
shall be open to public inspection at all times by any qualified voter.
The accounts and records of any county or city officer listed in Article VII,
Section 4 of the Constitution of Virginia, hereinafter referred to as
"constitutional officers," shall be subject to the provisions of this
section.
In the event a locality fails to obtain the annual audit prescribed by this
subsection, the Auditor of Public Accounts may undertake the audit or may
employ the services of certified public accountants and charge the full cost
of such services to the locality. However, no part of the cost and expense of
such audit shall be paid by any locality whose governing body has its
accounts audited for the fiscal years in question as prescribed above and
furnishes the Auditor of Public Accounts with a copy of such audit.
B. The Auditor of Public Accounts shall audit the accounts of local
governments and constitutional officers only when (i) special circumstances
require an audit, or (ii) there is suspected fraud or inappropriate handling
of funds which may affect the financial interests of the Commonwealth. In all
instances, such audits shall be carried out with the approval of the Joint
Legislative Audit and Review Commission.
Any shortage existing in the accounts of the locality or constitutional
officer, as ascertained by the audit, shall be made public within thirty days
after the shortage is discovered, and a brief statement thereof shall be sent
by the Auditor of Public Accounts to the members and clerk of the local
governing body and to the circuit court for the locality, and shall be filed
in the clerk's office of such court.
C. The provisions of this section shall apply to all counties and cities, to
all towns having a population of 3,500 or over, and to all towns constituting
a separate school division regardless of their population.
(Code 1950, § 15-583; 1958, c. 615; 1962, c. 623, § 15.1-167; 1978, c. 725;
1981, c. 139; 1985, c. 315; 1993, c. 681; 1997, c. 587.)