Baldwin audit chronicles town’s financial woes

Baldwin received an audit report Thursday during the regular meeting of the mayor and board.
Gerald Thibodeaux, auditor with the firm Kolder, Champagne, Slaven and Co. delivered the report.
Plagued by diminishing revenues for the past five years, Thibodeaux showed the fiscal year ending last June with a $361,000 deficit, most of which was in the general fund.
The utility fund reflected a deficit of $31,552, part of the overall shortfall.
There were 19 audit results and findings included in the report.
Most were a result of failing revenues, including not making timely bond payments, transfers from fund-to-fund, and failure to maintain reserve funds for bond issues.
There was a need for a policy whereas timecards in the police department can only be modified under circumstances.
The town was also cited for failing to publish its meeting minutes for several months.
Rates for utility services are also required to be high enough to pay expenses and bond payments, and have not been raised to that level.
Workmen’s compensation insurance was not held by the town since August 2013.
Employees had been paid a minimum three hours for overtime, no matter how long they worked.
The board of aldermen in February authorized the firm to audit a checking account discovered in the police department that had never been audited before.
Thibodeaux reported that the account was opened around 2010 but all the records were available. Only about $3,000 “went in and out” of that account, and the funds were used to pay for such things as retirement and Christmas parties.
Funds were generated by charging $10 for accident reports. State law allows a charge of $5 for the first two pages and $7.50 for more than two pages, Thibodeaux said.
Despite the issues, the audit was issued a “clean opinion.”
Mayor Donna Lanceslin also noted that many police department tickets had never been collected, but the town has reported those unpaid tickets to state officials. She said anyone with unpaid tickets can pay them at town hall.
In other business Thursday:
—Alderman Margaret “Faye” Coleman said the next town cleanup will be held March 21 from 8 a.m. to noon. Volunteers can gather at the fire department, or residents can initiate a cleanup on their own areas.
—Aldermen Clarence Vappie and Gene St. Germain were appointed to the Louisiana Municipal Gas Association.
—The board appointed legal counsel Joseph Tabb as magistrate for mayor’s court.