State auditors find county’s books unreliable

For the first time since 2003, Whitman County’s financial statement has been independently audited, and the results show the information on the books is unreliable.

State auditors released last Thursday the results of their review of the county’s 2008 financial statement.

Auditors blamed a number of factors, but said the core of the problems was the county’s decision to report finances on the more intricately detailed accrual basis instead of on a simpler cash basis.

“The county’s internal controls do not make adequate allowance for the complexity of this reporting option,” the report stated....