East Haven seeking new financial auditor

EAST HAVEN — After extending the contract of its current auditors over the course of the pandemic, the town is looking for a new firm to audit its financial statements.

It’s general practice to put out a request for proposal for auditors every three to five years, according to Finance Director Jim Keeley.

Since 2017, the town has been using PKF O’Connor Davies. Keeley said via email Monday that the firm’s contract had been extended for the past two years, due to the coronavirus pandemic and a lack of bidders.

“This is a general audit that has been done every year — nothing out of the ordinary,” Keeley wrote.

Audits are required annually and all funds under the administrative control of the finance director and the Board of Education are included in audits.

Apart from those funds, fixed assets, infrastructure and all longterm debt is also included, according to the document.

In a letter earlier this year, Keeley stated that an audit of Mayor Joseph Carfora’s first budget in office showed a surplus of nearly $3 million, compared deficits prior to

Carfora taking office.

Prior year audit results from former Mayor Joseph Maturo Jr.’s administration showed shortages of $3,679,591 in 2018-19 and $3,450,220 in 2019-20, Keeley wrote.

The town put out a request for proposals for a firm to audit its financial statements for three fiscal years, commencing with the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, with an optional extension for two additional years.

Proposals for a new town auditor are due by May 17 at 10 a.m. with the appointment being set for June 2.

The job will pay $95,000 per year, a cost split by the Board of Education and town.

Keeley said $50,000 currently is allocated in the town budget for the auditor.

The budget for the coming fiscal year is still being workshopped by the Town Council, with a public hearing on the budget set for 7 p.m. Tuesday at the East Haven Senior Center.

A special meeting of the town council is set for 7 p.m. April 26, also at the senior center, for the adoption of the budget.