Finances topped Monday’s Howard County Commissioner agenda

During Monday’s Howard County Commissioners’ Court meeting, the county received a clean opinion on a financial audit for the year ending Sept. 30, 2020.

The audit, prepared by Roberts and McGee certified public accounting firm of Abilene, states “...the financial statements...present fairly, in all material respects, the respective financial position of the governmental organization, each major fund, and the aggregate remaining fund information of Howard County, Texas...”.

The audit shows that Howard County’s total fund balance at the end of Fiscal Year 2020 was $1,897,066. The county’s net position at the end of the fiscal year was $17,562,650, including $6,089,883 unrestricted net position, $6,343,823 restricted for debt service, capital improvement, and special revenue funds, and $5,128,934 invested in capital assets.

According to the audit, the total net position, or equity, of the county increased by $3,799,036 during the 2020 fiscal year.

In other business, County Auditor Jackie Olson reported that the county will receive more than $7 million from a federal fund for coironavirus relief.

“We were notified that we would receive – and this is the Coronavirus Fiscal Recovery Fund – that Howard County would receive right at $7.1 million,” Olson said. “We should receive half of that this June, and the other half in June of next year. Then it’s my understanding we have to have everything