MARLBORO — An independent audit of Marlboro’s financial documents from 2012 landed the township the best possible score, with no recommendations for corrective action.
“This is the first year in over 10 years that there were no findings or recommendations that we had to change our auditing or accounting procedures, and that is something I am very proud of,” Mayor Jonathan Hornik said during the Aug. 1 meeting of the Township Council.
The township received an “unqualified opinion,” which is the top mark an entity can receive, as the result of the required inspection, said Dave Gannon, a partner at Wiss & Company, the firm that conducted the audit.
Coupled with a lack of recommendations for corrective action, Marlboro’s employees earned the township a “rare” review, Gannon said.
“It really reflects high-quality financial records,” he said. “… It is a testament to this financial office.”
The auditors combed through a trove of fiscal files during the procedure, Gannon said. That included financial transactions, municipal revenues, the payroll and dealings within the township’s departments, he said.
Marlboro’s surplus as of Dec. 31, 2012, reached $5 million, which is similar to that of the 2011 figure, Gannon said. He said that stability proved more impressive due to the unanticipated costs created by superstorm Sandy.
“When you look at the amount of surplus used in the budget to balance the budget, over the last three years that number has been reduced,” Gannon added. “The township has done a really great job at balancing the budget and accumulating surplus.”
Gannon said the municipal swim and water utilities, which are controlled by Marlboro, also boasted strong surpluses.
Business Administrator Jonathan Capp said township employees reached the outcome, in part, with the help of recommendations from previous years. Since 2002, Marlboro has received from three to five recommendations annually from the auditors, he said.
“We take the auditors’ comments seriously and we resolve the issues, and we are proud of the result,” Capp said.
A number of governmental agencies that have recently been audited by Wiss & Company have received as many as 30 recommendations regarding their financial affairs, Gannon said.
The members of the Township Council voted to accept the findings of the audit during the meeting.