CLEARFIELD – The Clearfield County Commissioners received a clean bill of health during the presentation of its financial audit at Tuesday morning’s workshop meeting.
Brent A. Thomas, a CPA with Johnston, Nelson & Shimmel, LLP, Clearfield, presented the commissioners with their audit for the 2010 fiscal year. He said the county’s financial records were “good and clean” and received an “unqualified opinion.”
According to Thomas, last year, the county had $31.960 million in total assets and $5.242 million in total liabilities, giving it $26.719 million in total net assets. Additionally, he said the county had $28.644 million in total revenue and $29.128 million in total expenditures.
He said the county’s deficit amounted to $484,000; however, the commissioners had budgeted for a much larger deficit of $1.270 million for 2010.
Thomas indicated that the county’s real estate taxes were 21 mills last year and had been since around 2006. Commissioner Chairperson Joan Robinson-McMillen added they were 2.5 mills lower this year at 18.5 mills.
“The bottom line is a lot of governments are at or near bankruptcy, but Clearfield County is very blessed and solid financially,” Thomas said. He pointed out the commissioners had also renovated the Clearfield County Administrative Offices at $2.1 million last year.
Robinson-McMillen said the commissioners will not be raising real estate taxes in the foreseeable future. At the same time, she said they’ll continue to make the necessary upgrades to the county’s facilities and equipment.
“We’re fiscally in good shape,” Commissioner John Sobel said. “I think we’ve shown that government can be less expensive.”