New auditors come through for Dist. 158

Something unusual happened in Huntley Unit District 158 this year: The district received its yearly financial audit on time.

This year, after two years of waiting months past the October deadline to file its financial report with the state, the district dumped its longtime auditor, Virchow Krause & Co., and hired Evans, Marshall and Pease.

The auditor switch worked.

Despite difficulties caused by Virchow's delay, Evans was able to complete District 158's fiscal year 2007 audit on time and will file the district's financial reports with the state and federal government before the October deadlines.

District 158 school board members applauded and cheered as Evans senior partner Paul Thurmond approached the podium Thursday night to report on the results of the audit.

"I'm grateful you were able to get it done in the timeframe we wanted it done," board Vice President and Finance Committee Chair Tony Quagliano said.

Evans' achievement was more impressive in light of the difficulties the firm had obtaining documents from the district's former auditor, district officials said.

"Getting to review the prior audit working papers was an ordeal in itself," Thurmond said. "They were dragging their feet."

Measures the district has put in place to improve its record-keeping and payroll accounting helped the district receive the highest rating on its 2007 audit.

"Are there improvements that need to be made? Yes. Are they being implemented, and is management aware of it? Yes," Thurmond said.

These improvements helped the auditor finish the work on time, Thurmond said. The district's 2005 audit was delayed because of irregularities in the district's finances.