Shaun Adams
Robbinsville – The board of aldermen received two bits of good news for the price of one at Feb. 14’s meeting.
The Town of Robbinsville received clean results from its 2022 audit, which opened the gates for the town to order both new water meters and get the planned Sweetwater water-line replacement project in motion.
Lexington-based RH Accounting conducted the town’s audit. Among the 65-page presentation of its findings were highlights, such as:
* Thanks to an aggressive approach to property-tax collections and COVID grant money, the town’s net position increased by $118,298;
* A $303,905 decrease (10.63 percent) to Robbinsville’s long-term debt and obligations was credited to a drop in both pension liability and installment purchases/revenue bonds;
* Constant front-office turnover led to a late filing with the state treasurer’s office of the town’s annual financial report, which was due Oct. 31, 2022.
The end of the report covers suggested areas of improvement for the internal operation of the town. Three areas were defined as “significant deficiencies,” which were the late financial submission to the state treasurer, an inability to properly segregate duties and a need to crack down on use of credit cards. The town agreed to address all three of the areas in a corrective acton plan submitted to the firm.
With the thumbs up from the 2022 audit, grant monies that were patiently waiting to be accessed can be dipped into. McGill & Associates President and CEO Joel Storrow was on-hand at the Feb. 14 meeting to get the ball rolling on discussion regarding purchases of materials to replace and/or improve water lines within the town – including on Atoah and Ford streets – as well as to the end of service on Sweetwater Road.
Interlocal agreement
For years, the answers to a debate over which entity is in charge of numerous local events were as clear as mud.
Town attorney Leo Phillips distributed a new interlocal agreement between the Town of Robbinsville and the Robbinsville Tourism Authority at the meeting that might help the puddle of mystery somewhat dissipate.
Mayor Shaun Adams raised eyebrows last year when he began questioning the work exchanged between the two, in which many of the town’s employees assisted with events put on by either the county or the tourism authority. Also brought into question was compensation of town employees for working the events, as well as who was in charge of promoting and hosting certain festivities.
The new agreement clearly states that the annual fishing derby and any downtown Christmas events are the responsibility of the town; other events fall under the tourism authority’s umbrella.
Furthermore, any payments made will need to be submitted to the tourism authority; paid for by the town; then immediately receipted by the tourism authority.