Franklin audit report clean

Franklin’s financial audit was given a clean bill of health Tuesday.
Blaine Crochet, representing auditing firm Darnall, Sikes, Gardes & Frederick, delivered the report to the mayor and council during its regular monthly meeting.
The audit found no substantial weakness in accounting practices, though Crochet did note that the city has outstanding unpaid water customer balances in excess of 90 days.
He recommended that the city hire a collection agency to recoup those balances.
The general fund posted a $459,985 excess of revenues over expenditures, up from $395,754 in 2013.
Utility fund profit was $392,548 and liquid and solid waste showed a $994,692 deficit due to extensive maintenance and repairs the city conducted during the year. That fund still has a healthy fund balance of over $3 million.
In other business Tuesday, the city council approved resolutions filing an application with the Lousiana Department of Transportation and Development on behalf of St. Mary Community Action Agency, and another approved its Municipal Water Pollution Environmental Audit Report.
It was also announced that the next citywide cleanup will be Jan. 19 at 8 a.m. at the Stage parking lot.