Serving the High Plains
The Mesalands Community College board of trustees during a special meeting last week approved a memorandum of understanding with the Office of the State Auditor regarding the fiscal-year 2023 audit.
The audit, which also will cover the college’s foundation, will cost the college $98,280, according to the document.
Mesalands interim president Allen Moss said approving the pact could have waited until the board’s next meeting on April 30, but officials “don’t want to be seen as dragging our feet” regarding the audit.
The Office of the State Auditor also will perform a 2024 audit and a special audit of the financially troubled college.
Moss said the recently completed 2022 audit took state officials longer than expected.
But because the same staff, including state supervisor Donna Trujillo, would be working on the 2023 and 2024 audits, he expressed hope those processes would be smoother.
The 2022 audit saw the number of findings drop by nearly half compared to the FY2021 audit.
After a 20-minute closed executive session, Moss introduced Rachelle Arias as a new member of the college’s business office. She previously was finance director for the City of Tucumcari.