An independent yearly audit gave Harford County?s budget department a clean bill of health for the past fiscal year, though auditors suggested changes to the office itself.
The Reznick Group told the County Council this week it found the county?s finances to be in full compliance with government accounting standards. Only a few problems were identified by the audit, including loose security in the county?s offices and lack of employee awareness of a fraud tipline, said Reznick auditor Daniel Kenney.
Security in the county?s office building is controlled mostly by locks on each door with a three-digit code, which Kenney felt might be insufficient for protecting financial records.
“I wonder if there are three people in the county who don?t know the code to that door,” said District A Councilman Dion Guthrie, referring to a locked exit from the council?s chambers. “Now might be a good time to change the codes, given the new election.”
Improving security at the county?s offices would be addressed in the upcoming budget for fiscal year 2008, said County Treasurer John Scotten.
Auditor Tricia Griffis said interviews with various county employees suggested that few were aware of the Employee Relations Unit, which allows employees to anonymously report fraud or wrongdoing. The phone number for the tip line is frequently published in the quarterly employee newsletter and posted on bulletin boards, Scotten said.
“You can make them aware of it, but you can?t make an employee make that phone call,” Scotten said.
