County Auditor responds to latest criticism

A.D. Ibarra

-Eagle Pass

County Auditor Fidencio Ortiz was contacted by The Eagle Pass News Gram in reference to recent public statements by several key members of county government on the efficiency of his department and the lack of a completed 2012 Audit which is stifling several key county programs and public services.

"The situation with the audits is nothing new," stated Ortiz, "It's been like that for four or five years."

He says that many of the inconsistencies found within the audit (As reported in The News Gram back when the 2011 audit was approved) such as deficient accounting records, no financial reporting process and no budget monitoring on expenses and accounts payable were common place.

"You can go back in the books to any time of any year and the county was in the red, rarely was it in the black," he added.

"Their financial advisor has been here for six years since 2008 and all this was going on and his solution was 'If you need more money, I'll get you more money' and he would get $60 to 80,000.00 in fees and the financing people all got fees, everyone got percentages."

The year he says the federal government began getting involved was 2010 after, he says, that then auditor Carlos Pereda advised Commissioner's Court of budget shortfalls and in response, commissioner's court continued approving contracts.

"That's what got them in trouble, they went over the edge and it blew up in their faces."