For Immediate Release
February 17, 2022
**PRESS RELEASE **
Re: Blount County Government Annual Financial Report
Fiscal Year Ended June 30, 2021
BLOUNT COUNTY, TN
Blount County Mayor Ed Mitchell announces the release of Blount County’s Annual Financial Report from the Tennessee Comptroller’s Office for the year ending June 30, 2021, with a clean audit report with no audit findings for the sixth year (out of the last seven).
The full report can be viewed at https://comptroller.tn.gov/content/dam/cot/la/documents/county/2021/FY21BlountAFR.pdf
During the February County Commission meeting, Mayor Mitchell stated, “Earlier this evening, the Audit Committee met and heard the report from the State Comptroller’s Office, and I am proud to say that once again Blount County has no findings on their total audit. When we say total audit, we’re saying total audit for the county and the county school system.
What makes that really special is 6 out of the last 7 years, we’ve had clean audits with no findings.
It’s unheard of when talking to Mayors across the state and in this region. You don’t see Governments who perform at the level that we do with no findings. I just want to say that this is an effort of a lot of key people working in this county, starting with Randy Vineyard and his staff in Finance & Accounting, Deena Finley (who was with us during this audited fiscal year who is now with the Schools), our Elected Officials, department heads and employees of all of our departments and school system. They are superstars. They do tremendous jobs every day for our citizens. There are a lot of funds that pass through this county. When the auditors come, they spend a lot of time with our departments and it takes months of work. When we can say 7 out of the last 9 years with no findings and clean audits that says a tremendous amount for the people who work in Blount County Government.”
Chairman of the Blount County Commission, Ron French stated, “I want to reiterate exactly what the Mayor said. We have fabulous administration, Elected Officials, Department Heads and employees. That’s why people come to Blount County to live.” Earlier at the Audit Committee meeting, Mr. French stated, “I don’t know of any County in the State that can match this record. To me, this should be front page news when you have an accomplishment like this. I just want to thank everyone for an outstanding job.”
“Being an auditor myself, it’s hard to not have a finding in a big organization,” stated Chairman of the Audit Committee, Lee Gowan. “One finding itself is not a big deal, but it’s very rare to have that many in a row (with no findings). The County has done an excellent job keeping the County books in good order. There’s a lot of money that goes through here and it’s accounted for properly.”
Mark Treece, East Tennessee Audit Manager for the Tennessee Comptroller's Office said, “A great accomplishment for the County, especially in a County of this size, for 7 of the last 9 years. The County officials should be very proud. It takes the hard work of all of the departments.”
Auditors assigned to Blount County, Jake Rogers and Heather Cook share the sentiments and stated, “All Blount County Departments are exceptionally cooperative and easy to work with. Another year with a clean audit report with no findings is quite an accomplishment and a testament that all of the Departments work very well together.”
“When we’re dealing annually with a budget of over $220 Million Dollars, it is pretty amazing that every penny of those dollars is accounted for at the end of the day. It’s a blessing to work with the people that I get to work with who have the heart to serve to do the right thing every day.” ~ Mayor Ed Mitchell
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//Press Release questions can be directed to the Blount County Mayor’s Office at (865) 273-5700.