News BREC’s 2022 Audit Released with an Unmodified Opinion
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Baton Rouge, LouisianaBREC’s 2022 Audit Released with an Unmodified Opinion
East Baton Rouge Parish - BREC, the agency that connects people to parks and nature in East Baton Rouge Parish (EBRP), has received an unmodified opinion on its 2022 financial statements by its external auditors, Eisner Amper (formerly Postlethwaite & Netterville). This means that BREC's 2022 financial statements are fairly presented and free of material misstatements.
Leadership at BREC has worked diligently to overcome a series of challenges to completing its annual audits including staff turnover and shortages, a change of ownership of its external audit firm, and the tragic and untimely death of its first CFO last year. While some opportunities for improvement were identified in the audit, most were anticipated by BREC’s new Chief Financial Officer, Don Johnson.
“The audit reflects BREC’s financial stability and its dedication to effectively manage public resources, and we have already begun implementing those identified opportunities,” said Johnson.
Despite challenges that began during the pandemic, BREC has maintained sound financial practices, with revenues and expenditures aligned to responsibly fulfill its obligations to EBRP residents. Areas for operational improvement that were identified include timely reconciliations and audits, in addition to some needed policies and procedures for consistently, accurately, and timely reporting on construction-in-progress assets and federal grants. BREC also reported a number of thefts of public assets to the Louisiana Legislative Auditor (LLA) during 2022. Police reports were filed in those instances, and BREC put additional security measures in place when deemed beneficial.
The 2023 audit is anticipated to begin within the next few weeks so that it can be completed in time to conduct the 2024 audit and file it before LLA’s deadline. “We fully anticipate having our audits back on track this year and have put measures in place to ensure that this doesn’t happen again in the future” said BREC’s Superintendent Corey K. Wilson. “We remain focused on serving the community with the transparency and efficiency they deserve.”
As a nationally accredited and award-winning park and recreation agency, BREC continues to prioritize investments that enhance the quality of life for EBRP residents. Having just renewed 65% of its budget that is collected through property taxes, BREC will begin the implementation of a new 10-year plan, Imagine Your Parks 3, next year.
“We appreciate the community’s ongoing support and look forward to building on the past almost eight decades of progress,” said Wilson.
For more information, visit www.brec.org/IYP3.