A.D. Ibarra
-Maverick County
Maverick County Auditor Fidencio Ortiz called a press conference on Friday in order to address concerns highlighted at Monday's Special Meeting of Commissioner's Court where a status on the 2013 Audit was given by Martinez, Rosario & Company, the independent firm who has been hired to complete the highly important financial report.
According to Maverick County officials the lack thereof has cost the county thousands, and being that the audit itself was due in June of this year, it is six months late and counting, a fact that Ortiz was quick to point out as Milo Martinez, the representative of the firm, informed county officials could be ready by late February or even as late as the beginning of March.
The auditor pointed out that this has been a trend over the last six years as the last six audits have been anywhere from three to eleven months late such as the dreaded 2011 audit which led to the arrest of seventeen individuals who misused millions of dollars directly related to a $15,000,000.00 federal grant geared to complete projects across Maverick County.
"I want to clarify the fact that I was unable to attend the Special Meeting set for Monday, December 15, 2014, due to a doctor's appointment I had with a specialist in San Antonio which I had set up six months ago. This was not a Regular Meeting of Commissioner's Court, which are the only meetings I am required to attend by law, this was a meeting that was set up as late as last Monday.
Ortiz further clarified that negotiations with the firm led to the inconsistencies, "I will let you know that there were negotiations as to whether we would continue to use the services of Martinez, Rosario & Company as they were requesting over $150,000.00 to complete the 2013 Audit (They will be paid $152,000.00). The contract was signed by County Judge David Saucedo on August 6th of this year. No office in Maverick County has the authority to deal with any company without previous authorization from Commissioner's Court.
Ortiz concluded his statement by reiterating that he and his staff are dedicated to carrying out their work honestly and legally.
"We're not here to make friends. Our job is to maintain the county's records and to enforce the decisions made by Commissioner's Court in terms of projects and that they are completed lawfully."
