PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
January 25, 2019
The State Comptroller’s Office has released the audit of Blount County Government for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2018.
Mayor Mitchell states: “We are excited to announce that the Tennessee Comptroller’s Office has advised us there were no audit findings for Blount County Government. This is four years in a row with a clean audit opinion on the presentation of financial statements of Blount County Government. I am pleased that this information is now available for the public to review. http://comptroller.tn.gov/
There is a great significance of this happening for the 4th year in a row. I am more than proud of Blount County’s fiscal performance. During these four years, we have been very fortunate to have great leadership on the Blount County Commission with former Chairmen Jerome Moon and Gary Farmer, and current Chairman Ron French. The teamwork they have fostered throughout the County has been instrumental in making this happen. Our Elected Officials and all of my staff work hard year round, every day, to be good stewards and pursue excellent financial practices in all that is done for our Blount County citizens. I want to especially thank all of them for their hard work and dedication. Our citizens deserve financial information that they can rely upon and have the right to know how their tax dollars are being spent. This audit gives them that assurance. Four years of a clean audit report and no audit findings might very well be unprecedented. We’ve asked the Comptroller’s Office to determine if this has ever been accomplished by another County in Tennessee.
Not only is the second year of operating under new standards of financial policies and procedures for all departments and offices of the County Government, but we also had new auditors assigned to us by the Comptroller’s Office as we requested through our Audit Committee. I am proud that we are committed to transparent government here in Blount County. I am especially proud that all of our financial information is available to the public on our website (http://www.blounttn.org/958/Audits) and that we have monthly Budget Committee meetings that give insight and updates on financial matters of County Government.”
Chairman of the Blount County Commission, Ron French, says “This is outstanding news! I commend all Elected Officials, all department heads and all employees of Blount County for continuing to go above and beyond. Your perseverance, diligence and devotion to duty is evident and speaks volumes to the pride in which you take in the performance of your assigned responsibilities. I'm convinced that this is an unprecedented accomplishment not only in Blount County's audit history but also in those of other counties in the state. I'm sure I speak for the entire Blount County Commission in saying we are very proud of each and every one of you. Thank you for keeping Blount County in the forefront of our great state of Tennessee.”