DeKalb dealing with $1.3M in financial discrepancies

DeKalb County’s government is trying to account for a $1.3 million discrepancy in transactions.

DeKalb County’s government is trying to account for a $1.3 million discrepancy in transactions.

DeKalb County's government has finally completed its annual audit, but a $1.3 million discrepancy hasn't yet been resolved.

The county submitted its comprehensive annual financial report (CAFR) on Oct. 14, which summarizes the government's financial activity under last year's $1.33 billion budget.

The report was supposed to be finished in the first six months of this year, but it was delayed as the county sought to reconcile discrepancies in various accounts that accumulated over the years.

"The review of these transactions quite simply requires a significant amount of time," wrote Interim Chief Financial Officer Dianne McNabb in an email, noting that the county processes 6,500 transactions each month.

The accounting discrepancy was as high as $5.5 million in August, but that number shrunk to $1.3 million as transactions were reconciled. The county is now in the process of gathering transactions and resolving inconsistencies.

“Corrections are being accumulated as the reconciliation project continues, but adjustments to resolve the $1.3 million discrepancy will not be made until the completion of the project, when each preliminary difference identified can be evaluated in context,” McNabb wrote.