Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!
Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!
Finding based on policy commissioners say they weren't aware of
DAVENPORT—An audit conducted by the state auditor’s office found that Lincoln County didn’t have the correct policy in place to “conform to federal procurement standards and to include elements required in federal regulations.”
The finding has caused frustration within the county. It’s the first finding “anyone around here can ever remember,” commissioner Rob Coffman said.
Lincoln County spent $2,676,424 in federal Highway Planning and Construction grant funds for the Porcupine Bay Road Landslide and Harrington-Tokio Road projects.
Coffman said the county followed the Highways and Local Programs guidelines for procurement, not knowing the county was supposed to have its own policy. He said the county wasn’t informed of the requirement until the state auditor issued a finding.
“This is such a minor detail,” a frustrated Coffman said. “We would’ve fixed it immediately.”
He said between 30-50 local governments statewide received a similar finding for not having a procurement policy. Auditor Chandra Schumacher told the county commissioners Monday she’s spoken to other auditors who were just as frustrated with their findings.
“A couple felt that from now on there will always be a finding, because that’s how the (state) auditor’s office will prove its worth,” Schumacher said.
Coffman was vocal in his displeasure with the state auditor’s office at the commissioner’s meeting Oct. 4 and in follow-up discussions with The Record-Times.
“The finding is completely unwarranted because we had no knowledge we had to have our own policy,” he said Monday. “I’m thoroughly disgusted with the state auditor on this.”
The finding said that Lincoln County did comply with federal requirements for competitive solicitation on the Porcupine Bay and Harrington-Tokio projects.
“We have spotless audits, so why do you need to come and audit us every year?” Coffman questioned.
Drew Lawson is the editor of the Davenport Times. He is a graduate of Eastern Washington University.
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