JACKSON- The Office of the State Auditor has released the Panola County annual financial audit for the year ending September 30, 2013.

Findings from the audit included:

· Deputy Tax Collectors were not properly bonded.

· There was not an adequate separation of duties in the Tax Collector’s Office.

·  The Sheriff did not remit fees collected to the Chancery Clerk by the fifteenth of each month as required by law.

·  The Circuit Clerk did not make the required settlements at the end of each month.

“These audits serve as a management tool to identify and correct any financial and compliance issues found within the county so the proper entities can make necessary changes,” State Auditor Stacey Pickering said. “I thank Panola County for their cooperation during this audit.”

The audit, which was completed by Williams, Ptts & Beard, PLLC on behalf of the Office of the State Auditor, was performed pursuant to Section 7-7-211(e), Mississippi Code Ann. (1972).

The audit was performed in accordance with auditing standards generally accepted in the United States of America and the standards applicable to financial audits contained in Government Auditing Standards issued by the Comptroller General of the United States.

The full audit can be accessed here: http://www.osa.ms.gov/documents/counties/2013/13cPanola%20County-cpa.pdf