The Office of the Utah State Auditor recently released its review of the Southwest Utah Public Health Department’s compliance with state requirements pertaining to the Utah Public Finance Website (known as the Utah Transparency Website) and also reviewed the Southwest Utah Public Health Foundation and transfers to it from the Southwest Utah Public Health Department.
The Southwest Utah Public Health Department is organized as an interlocal entity and a component unit of Washington County. It serves as the local health department for Beaver, Kane, Washington, Iron, and Garfield Counties. It has an annual budget of more than $5 million.
Upon review of key procedures, the Office of the Utah State Auditor identified four findings or recommendations to improve the Southwest Utah Public Health Department’s compliance”
—Failure to provide Financial Information to the Utah Public Finance Website despite repeated audit findings calling for the Southwest Utah Public Health Department to do so.
—Lack of appropriate oversight of the Southwest Utah Public Health Foundation.
—Funds transferred from Southwest Utah Public Health Department to the Southwest Utah Public Health Foundation in order to circumvent legal requirements.
—The Southwest Utah Public Health Department received donated funds on behalf of a nonaffiliated organization, Washington County Search and Rescue.
“I am concerned that members of the Board and members of the Department management team continued to ignore the law requiring them to properly file financial information with the Utah Public Finance Website, even after this failure was raised to their attention,” said John Dougall, Utah State Auditor and one of the co-sponsors of the original legislation that created the Utah Public Finance Website. “Taxpayers deserve both elected and appointed officials committed to full compliance with the law.”
The full report may be found on the Office’s website, auditor.utah.gov, specifically here.
The Office of the Utah State Auditor provides Utah taxpayers and government officials with an independent assessment of financial operation, statutory compliance, and performance management for state and local government.
