SHREVEPORT’S EXTERNAL AUDIT WILL NOT BE A GOOD READ

It hasn’t been released, but it will not make any best seller list. The early previews are not good. In fact they are horrible.

At the June 25 council meeting, councilman John Nickelson made public some initial findings of the 2018 City of Shreveport audit. He reported that the forthcoming audit will reveal extensive deficiencies of a serious nature.

These include:
1. Failure to timely file quarterly payroll tax returns;
2. Payment of more than $300 thousand in tax penalties without requesting a waiver or a reduction;
3. Failure to obtain a pledge of securities from a local bank that was the depositary of over $15 million in city funds as required by state law;
4. Failure to properly reconcile city operating and payroll accounts on an ongoing basis.

Nickelson noted that the audit was for 2018—the last year of the Ollie Tyler administration. Thus it was not reflective of the current administration of Mayor Adrian Perkins.

Chief Administrative Office Sherrika Fields Jones advised the council that she had spent extensive time with the city auditor and the city comptroller after receiving the initial audit report. She stated that remedial action was being taken.

Councilman James Flurry, the chair of the Audit and Finance Committee, reported that once informed of the audit deficiencies he contacted Mayor Perkins . Flurry advised that Perkins promptly took steps to remedy these matters.

The final audit report should be released by Labor Day. It will be posted on the city’s website.
Further review and recommendations can be expected from they Audit and Finance Committee that includes Nickelson, Grayson Boucher and Jerry Bowman.