Lewisboro Gets An ‘A’ From Its Auditors

LEWISBORO, N.Y. – The town of Lewisboro received a thumb’s up last week for an audit conducted on its financial and governmental activities.

The audit was performed by the Harrison, N.Y.-based accounting firm of O’Conner Davies for the period of January through December 2011.  In a report to the Town Board, the firm said, “In our opinion, the financial statements present fairly (and are] in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.”

Though he wasn’t in office during the period of time the audit focuses on, Supervisor Peter Parsons said he was pleased with the results and believes it indicates the town is getting back on the right fiscal track.

“It was a good report,” he said. The auditors “had no problems and I think that’s all you can ask.”

An audit by the state comptroller’s office back in April was critical of the Lewisboro’s money management, saying the government did not adequately monitor the town’s financial operations and take timely action to maintain its financial stability.

Most of that audit focused on the period from Jan. 1, 2009 to May 31, 2011.

“We had the state audit, they took a confrontational attitude and that always provides for fireworks,” the supervisor said. “They made a huge deal that the highway superintendent’s salary was in the wrong fund. Does that affect our final financial position? No, of course not. Our lawyers agreed that we had done it right and our accountants weren’t particularly worried.”

Parsons said the current audit shows the town is in a better position than it was last year and that its negative fund balance has been reduced.

“The negative fund balance isn’t gone, but it’s smaller,” he said

Parson noted that O’Conner Davies made no suggestions for improving procedures or methodologies.

“We got an ‘A’ and (the auditors) were complementary” about Comptroller Leo Masterson,” Parsons said.

Parsons added that the audit wasn’t something required by law, but that in Westchester County “it is normal procedure.”

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