State Audit Results in an Overall Performance Rating of “Good”

Published on May 25, 2022

City of Belton Audit.png

The office of the Missouri State Auditor completed its performance audit of the City of Belton. The result of the audit shows that the city is well managed. The city received an overall performance rating of “Good”. Specifically, the Missouri State Auditor stated, “In the areas audited the overall performance of this entity was Good.” The Missouri State Auditor defines “Good” as, “The report contains few findings, and the entity has indicated most, or all recommendations have already been, or will be, implemented.” Good is the second highest rating the city could have received.

The petition submitted to the state auditor’s office by citizens in 2020 is anticipated to result in a cost to the city in excess of $100,000. The citizen petition(PDF, 331KB) – provided to the city by a Kansas City metro news channel - requested the state auditor investigate the following areas of concern:

  1. Accounting for restricted city tax revenue funds
  2. Oversight Committee created to oversee Public Safety 1/2-cent tax funds
  3. City accounting controls, budget and financial reporting
  4. Audit of overhead allocation of funds from water, sewer and streets
  5. Golf course
  6. Municipal Court audit
  7. Benefits and compensation paid by the city to elected officials
  8. Promotion of current City Manager, Alexa Barton, from Assistant City Manager to City Manager
  9. Lack of Human Resources official/department
  10. City personnel code
  11. City Council regular meetings and executive session meetings
  12. City Council members and conflicts of interest
  13. Hotel/motel tax accounting
  14. Bonding agents
  15. Disposal/sale of city owned land
  16. Auditing of performing and non-performing TIFs
  17. Contract bids

The state audit began January 12, 2021, took more than a year to complete and resulted in recommendations for city council to consider in these four areas:

  • Allocations and disbursements
  • Police Department controls and procedures
  • Parks and Recreation Department’s controls and procedures
  • Electronic communication policy

The city council has already taken steps to address each of the recommendations.

Click here for the full auditor’s report.

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