Monessen still seeks answers on audit

By KRISTIE LINDEN

klinden@yourmvi.com

Some Monessen council members say they find it suspicious the city’s former auditor won’t provide its current firm with documents necessary to complete the well overdue 2019 audit.

Resident Ron Mozer asked council about the status of the 2019 audit Monday because, as he said, state law requires an audit of the previous year’s financial records to be done by March. There hasn’t been a completed audit in Monessen since the 2018 document was finished.

Mayor Matt Shorraw said the new auditing firm, McClure and Wolfe, initially promised the 2019 audit would be done by April 30.

“Unfortunately, the former auditing firm Cypher and Cypher will not give over the information to McClure and Wolfe to complete the audit,” he said.

Councilman Don Gregor said the city gave Cypher and Cypher the necessary information in March 2020, but the firm never came in to do the work.

“I don’t understand why they won’t give the information to the new auditors,” Shorraw said.

“Who has been calling them?” Mozer asked. “I would be calling them every day.”

Gregor said Cypher and Cypher doesn’t return calls.

Mozer asked when was the last time a call was made and Shorraw said McClure and Wolfe has been “calling continuously.”

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