First time in nine years
The Gallup City Council heard a presentation about their FY19 annual financial audit report by the Albuquerque-based accounting firm Hinkle and Landers, PC during their Feb. 18 meeting.
Farley Vener, President and Managing Shareholder of Hinkle and Landers, gave the presentation.
Vener said the City of Gallup’s accounting practices were consistent, and several adjustments were provided by the city to Hinkle and Landers as requested. There were also no significant difficulties with performing the audit.
“Overall, everything was just very smooth,” Vener said.
The city received an unmodified, or clean, opinion for both the financial statements and the federal awards, meaning the city is in compliance with spending those funds. Any of the prior year findings have been resolved and there were no findings for the 2019 report. The results showed a steady increase in the city’s assets over the past five years.
City council members voiced their enthusiasm for the audit results afterward.
“I was so excited for the staff and the hard work that Patty [Holland] and her staff have done in various departments,” Mayor Jackie McKinney said. “For my first [time] after nine years, we have a clean audit. It was so comfortable to know, because of the findings we’ve had in the past, we have a clean slate right now and the city is healthy financially.”
Dist. 4 Councilor Fran Palochak also credited the work done by city staff.
“You’ve taken to heart everything the auditors tell you, and really worked hard to strengthen the [city financials] overall, and it is reflected in this audit,” she said. “We as a city can be proud that our city had no findings, that we’re acting with public funds in an appropriate manner.”
Chief Financial Officer Patty Holland accepted the council’s thanks and offered some of her own.
“I have a great team with a lot of departments who work their hardest,” Holland said.
The city council approved the audit presentation with a 4-0 vote.
By Cody Begaye
Sun Correspondent
