Red Deer County received a clean audit of its 2011 financial statements presented during council April 24.“I'm confident our books are very accurate,” said Mayor Jim Wood after listening to a review of the audit conducted by Meyers Norris Penny LLP. “I think we can be very happy we're not seeing a bunch of recommendations for a bunch of changes.”The audit tested revenues, expenditures grants, deferrals, capitalization procedures and estimation calculations.The report showed a decrease in net financial assets (debt) from $18 million in 2010 to $16 million in 2011, an increase in revenue from $41 million in 2010 to $45 million in 2011, as well as an increase in expenses from $56 million to $68 million.The overall opinion from the auditing group deemed the financial statement to be in accordance with Canadian public sector accounting standards.Div. 4 Coun. David Hoar said the county was in “a strong financial situation” with strong reserves. “We are in a good position to take advantage of government funding,” he said of grants that offer matching funding.
