Events center draft audit draws criticism

A draft audit fraught with questions about record keeping and administrative procedures at the Curry County Events Center drew criticism Tuesday from General Manager Kevin Jolley and county commissioners.

Commissioners tabled any action on the draft after Chairman Frank Blackburn and Commissioner Wendell Bostwick questioned many of the findings and suggestions auditors offered. Bostwick called them unnecessary bureaucratic procedures that often generate only extra paperwork and get in the way of getting business done.

Both commissioners defended Jolley and Global Spectrum, the management company that runs the Events Center.

Auditors Roxie Samaniego and Dahlia Garcia, both of El Paso, Texas, firm of White + Samaniego + Campbell said their suggestions were only being made to protect the county from liability. They were hired by commissioners to complete audits that are required by law.

Jolley’s criticism was that he had not been given time to respond to findings in the draft. Jolley said he only received the draft Friday, the day before the three-day Labor Day holiday weekend.

“We did have a call from them like a month ago,” Jolley said. “It was kind of a general thing. There were no questions.”

The audit is for the calendar years 2012 and 2013 and Jolley questioned the procedure. He said past auditors allowed him time to respond to their findings and didn’t present the audit until it was completed.

“This was a draft,” Jolley said, “and I don’t know why they were presenting a draft. If something’s wrong, I’ll admit it ... you know, if we didn’t sign off on this or make a copy of that. But I need time to look at it and respond.”

Among some of the auditors observations:

• The 2011 audit cited seven major findings requiring corrective action. “Through interviews with Global Spectrum management,” auditors wrote, “it was noted that a corrective action plan was not put into place. Consequently, 0 of 7 findings were corrected.”

• Expense account samples tested found repeated instances of no date stamps, audit stamp or original invoices.

• The Global Spectrum Finance Manual was last approved in 2008 and not updated and “According to industry standards (a) Finance Manual should be reviewed once a year and updates as changes occur and are necessary.”

• No current inventory of furniture, fixtures, office equipment, supplies, tools and vehicles.

Bostwick offered the motion to table accepting the draft audit, noting “I’m just not ready to go there.”

In other business commissioners:

• Appointed Bostwick to the regional water planning committee.

• Adopted a resolution supporting dairy industry efforts to change state environmental rules on monitoring wells.

• Approved a contract with Correctional Health Companies to provide inmate health care at the jail.

• Approved a 125-year lease agreement with Cannon Air Force Base for use of county property near the base.

• Approved hiring SDV Construction as the construction manager of the 417 Gidding Street building remodel.

• Approved a $8,100 budget adjustment for Imagination Library.

• Approved a request to apply for a $300,000 water conveyance grant.

• Approved a request to transfer about $17,000 for improvements in the Brady Street entrance to the Events Center and fairgrounds.

• Approved Jolley’s request to bid up to $35,000 for a top country music act to appear at the Events Center during the first quarter of 2015.