By Nita Johnson
Staff Writer
LAUREL COUNTY, Ky. —
The Laurel County Clerk’s audit for 2011, as performed by the Kentucky State Auditor of Public Accounts, listed no deficiencies.
“The audit found the clerk’s financial statement presents fairly the revenues, expenditures and excess fees of the Laurel County Clerk in conformity with the regulatory basis of accounting,” the press release read. “The auditor noted no instances of noncompliance.”
The report goes on to state there were no matters involving internal control over the financial reporting obligation and its operations.
The County Clerk’s Office, headed by 27-year veteran Dean Johnson, collects certain taxes, issues licenses, maintains county records such as deeds, mortgages, liens, among other items. The office is funded through statutory fees collected in conjunction with these duties.
The County Clerk’s Office also collects delinquent tax payments once the deadline for paying through the Laurel County Sheriff’s Office has passed.
The audit conducted by the state auditor’s office is for the calendar year ending on Dec. 31, 2011. The auditor’s report states excess fees decreased from 2010 to 2011 by $66,708, with the excess fees totaling $267,980 at the end of December 2010. Revenues increased during that same time by $266,348 and the expenditures rose by $333,056.
Johnson credited his staff for the continuing positive audits.
“I’ve had 26 (audits) with no deficiencies as County Clerk and four as County Treasurer. That makes 30 audits with no deficiencies,” he said. “I have to credit the workers here. I’ve had good, honest people working for me. We keep a close tab on the taxes collected and make sure they are distributed to the proper agencies. When we close the doors every day, if we have a discrepancy, we stay here until we solve it.”
njohnson@sentinel-echo.com
