At long last

It has been a long time coming.

Whitman County received word about its latest state audit, and the news was good.

Over the years the county has been plagued with unsatisfactory audit reports and even audits that couldn’t be completed because of faulty and missing records.

The problems have stretched the confidence of county leaders as well as the public.

From those dark times to now, the results have dramatically changed. The state auditors have recommended procedural changes that will further advance the improvements of the county’s financial records from this audit on, but this audit is dramatically better.

It should give the entire county confidence in what is to come.

Much of the progress can be attributed to Sharron Cunningham. Formerly at the county, she came back and fearlessly stepped into the gap and started to get the accounting system straightened out. Cunningham has been with the county for barely a year since her return. She, of course, works in the auditor’s office under the auditor, Eunice Coker. It was this office that has been so badly slammed over the years.

The financial reporting at the county still needs some attention, according to the state auditors. These involve internal controls, such as more intense review and monitoring procedures.

Even so, the difference between this audit and the many previous ones shows that county financial records are gaining the accuracy and completeness that one should expect when public money is at stake.

The turnaround in the reporting functions at the courthouse started when Sharron Cunningham came to work.

That’s a name voters should remember. Eunice Coker has announced her retirement. Sharron at this point is a logical replacement.

Gordon Forgey

Publisher