By Marilyn Miller

The Village of Dixie Inn’s annual audit “went well,” according to Travis H. Morehart, CPA, with the firm of Cook & Morehart in Shreveport. Morehart summarized the 2022-23 audit findings during the monthly meeting of the Board of Aldermen.

“The only finding that you’ll have, will concern segregation of duties,” he told the board. “And you are going to have (to live with) that (because of having so few employees, who have multiple duties).”

The segregation of duties among employees reduces the chance that any one person can commit fraud, and it creates procedures for double-checking work to decrease clerical errors. For example, separating duties means the employee who handles record keeping should not have physical custody of the asset. (Reciprocity.com)

In the Water/Sewer Dept., Morehart alluded to the $31,000 “lost” and warned the board that this type of thing will be a “weekly, monthly, annual” challenge because inflation has risen over 20 percent. “You need to manage this,” he advised. Later, he warned that “three percent (increase in income) is not going to be enough to handle inflation.”

“The cost of chemicals is killing us,” said Mike Chreene, supervisor of the Water/Sewer Dept.

“At least the Town will realize what’s happening when we have to raise some stuff,” alderman Nell Finlay responded.

Looking at another section of the audit, Morehart advised the Village to be cognizant of the official signatures on electronic payments, ensuring that the signatures are those authorized by the bank. More and more payments will be made electronically in the future, so all governments need to be aware of this, he advised.

With better news, Morehart told the board that “The General Fund is in good shape,” showing an excess of $109,000. He also gave Village Clerk Alicia Ware a “thumbs up” for her job performance since coming on board.

In other business, the board:

• Adopted the Minutes for the December 12, 2023 Meeting; and the Financial Statements for December 2023;
• Heard a report from Chreene, who stated that he is “worried about the cold weather that is coming in” and the effects it will have on the water system;
• Heard that Chris Lovell was the winner of the Christmas ham given away by the village during the holidays.