Toccoa Re-ups with Audit Firm

 

The city of Toccoa will remain with the same auditing firm for the next three years.

On Monday, city commissioners unanimously approved a contract with the auditing firm of Mauldin and Jenkins of Atlanta that will cover the next three years.

Toccoa City Manager Billy Morse said this comes after the city commission chose to put the city’s audit out to bid to see what sort of proposals it would get.

“We requested financial audit proposals from 11 firms,” said Morse “As you know, we received three proposals. Each of the firms had competitively priced proposals that covered a three-year period of audits.”

The city received bids from Mauldin and Jenkins, Duncan and Kitchens of Clarkesville, and Bates, Carter, and Co. of Gainesville.

Toccoa officials said the proposal was sent to numerous local firms, but none wished to bid on the audit services.

According to the bids that were returned, Mauldin and Jenkins was the highest of the three bids, coming in at $78,500 for the three years.

That is compared to Duncan and Kitchens’ bid of $77,500 and Bates, Carter, and Co,’s bid of $76,089.

However, Toccoa City Commissioner Jeanette Jamieson said that the bid from Mauldin and Jenkins may be more, but comes with more than the other two bids.

She noted that Bates and Carter was charging extra additional for any additional hours over 10 extra hours worked, while city officials pointed out that Duncan and Kitchens was providing 80 additional hours at no cost before additional charges were incurred.

“Mauldin and Jenkins have a total of unlimited, no matter what it takes, plus the additional benefits, makes their audit much more in line, if not lower, than the other two,” said Jamieson.

City officials also noted Mauldin and Jenkins’ familiarity with the city’s finances as a benefit, along with the additional training and support they provide.

Mauldin and Jenkins has performed the city of Toccoa’s audits for the past six years.