During the regularly-scheduled audit, State Auditor Nicole Galloway's office found receipts that aren’t accurately accounted for and bank accounts that aren’t adequately reconciled in the Barry County Sheriff’s office. In a report, her office recommends better checks and balances in that office to insure proper oversight of financial transactions, according to the Missouri Auditor's Office. The report states that the sheriff is working to address the recommendations.
The report also found the county should do more to protect electronic data and prevent unauthorized access to county records. The audit found that better password protections are needed in several county offices and that employees share user names and passwords for certain computers in the offices of county assessor, county collector and ex officio recorder of deeds.
As identified in previous audits, the county's Developmentally Disabled Board continues to maintain a significant cash reserve without any specific plans for its use, according to the news release. As of December 31, 2017, the board had a cash balance of approximately $1 million.
A separate audit of the Barry County Collector is ongoing. Missouri law requires an audit to be performed when a vacancy occurs in a county collector office.
