An audit of the Shawano County financial records of 2024 turned up good news for officials.
Revenues were up and expenses were down from the projections, leaving the county with a satisfying general fund balance. The county’s debt is all well below state limits and even the county’s own tighter restrictions, noted John Rader of Baker Tilly at the executive committee meeting July 16.
County Board Chairman Tom Kautza made it a point to ask if any fraud was detected.
“There is no fraud, correct?” he said. “No missing money?”
“Correct,” Rader said. “We’re not auditing for fraud. We do fraud risk assessment, and there’s nothing that came to light to cause us concern. Now, I can’t say there’s no fraud — I don’t think any firm would ever do that — but we certainly didn’t come across anything.”
Kautza was referring to accusations made last month by Supervisor Lowel Hammett about $1 million missing from the county treasury. In his claim, he did not say when the disappearance of the money happened.
As for the audit itself, Rader said unassigned money in the general fund – the primary operating fund – increased from $11.9 million in 2023 to $14 million in 2024.
The increase is mainly due to decreases in nonspendable funds, restricted funds and assigned funds. Committed funds increased from 2023 to 2024.
Overall, the general fund decreased from $19.8 million to $19.2 million.
“It went down, because you planned on spending it all,” Rader said. “You planned on spending it down by about $3.5 million. It didn’t go down that much. It went down $606,000.”
Revenues came in over budget by $901,311.
“Most of that, $776,000 of it, is because of investment income,” Rader said.
Expenses came in under budget at $1,951,023. He said this includes costs associated with jail operations, courthouse maintenance, the sheriff’s department, land conservation and other departments.
“The county has a policy of trying to establish between 20-25% of next year’s budgeted expenditures for these funds,” Rader said. “You’ve been above that the last four years. You’re at 30% this year.”
The higher general fund was bookended by a low debt amount.
By state law, the county debt ceiling is 5% of its equalized value, which would be $258,280,475 for 2024. The county debt was $15,816.763, which included $2 million in short-term borrowing that was paid off in the first quarter of 2025.
“Your’e only at 6%, so you’re well below the statutory or your own limitations,” Rader said.
kpasson@newmedia-wi.com
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