15.2-2511 - Audit of local government records, etc.; Auditor of Public Accounts; audit of shortages.
§ 15.2-2511. Audit of local government records, etc.; Auditor of PublicAccounts; audit of shortages.
A. Localities shall have all their accounts and records, including allaccounts and records of their constitutional officers, audited annually as ofJune 30 by an independent certified public accountant in accordance with thespecifications furnished by the Auditor of Public Accounts. The certifiedpublic accountant shall present a detailed written report to the localgoverning body at a public session by the following December 31. Everylocality shall contract for the performance of the annual audit not laterthan April 1 of each fiscal year and such contract shall incorporate theprovisions of this section relating to audit specifications and report date.The report shall be preserved by the clerk of the local governing body, andshall be open to public inspection at all times by any qualified voter.
The accounts and records of any county or city officer listed in Article VII,Section 4 of the Constitution of Virginia, hereinafter referred to as"constitutional officers," shall be subject to the provisions of thissection.
In the event a locality fails to obtain the annual audit prescribed by thissubsection, the Auditor of Public Accounts may undertake the audit or mayemploy the services of certified public accountants and charge the full costof such services to the locality. However, no part of the cost and expense ofsuch audit shall be paid by any locality whose governing body has itsaccounts audited for the fiscal years in question as prescribed above andfurnishes the Auditor of Public Accounts with a copy of such audit.
B. The Auditor of Public Accounts shall audit the accounts of localgovernments and constitutional officers only when (i) special circumstancesrequire an audit, or (ii) there is suspected fraud or inappropriate handlingof funds which may affect the financial interests of the Commonwealth. In allinstances, such audits shall be carried out with the approval of the JointLegislative Audit and Review Commission.
Any shortage existing in the accounts of the locality or constitutionalofficer, as ascertained by the audit, shall be made public within thirty daysafter the shortage is discovered, and a brief statement thereof shall be sentby the Auditor of Public Accounts to the members and clerk of the localgoverning body and to the circuit court for the locality, and shall be filedin the clerk's office of such court.
C. The provisions of this section shall apply to all counties and cities, toall towns having a population of 3,500 or over, and to all towns constitutinga separate school division regardless of their population.
(Code 1950, § 15-583; 1958, c. 615; 1962, c. 623, § 15.1-167; 1978, c. 725;1981, c. 139; 1985, c. 315; 1993, c. 681; 1997, c. 587.)