FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

City of Willard Receives Final Report from Missouri State Auditor's Special Audit

WILLARD, Missouri — The City of Willard has received the final report from the Missouri State Auditor following the completion of the special audit requested through the citizen petition process.

The audit identified several opportunities for the City to strengthen policies and procedures. Many of those improvements were already underway during the course of the audit. During his presentation to the Board of Aldermen, the State Auditor noted that one area had shown significant improvement during the latter part of 2024, which coincided with the hiring of City Administrator Wes Young. The City also promptly prepared and submitted its corrective action plan, which is included as part of the Auditor's final report.

Perhaps most importantly, the special audit did not substantiate the primary concerns that led to the petition. In response to those concerns, the State Auditor expanded portions of the audit beyond the scope of a typical municipal audit to specifically examine whether public funds had been misused. Ultimately, the audit found no evidence of fraud, theft, or other wrongdoing involving public funds.

Mayor Troy Smith said the City appreciates both the thoroughness of the audit and the opportunity to continue improving.

"We appreciate the work performed by the Missouri State Auditor and the professionalism of the audit team throughout this process. The audit provides valuable recommendations that will help us continue strengthening our operations, and we welcome that guidance. Just as importantly, the expanded review confirmed there was no evidence of fraud or misuse of public funds. Our Board and staff remain committed to responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars, transparency, and continually improving the services we provide to our residents."

Like all Missouri municipalities, the City of Willard undergoes regular independent financial audits conducted by a licensed public accounting firm. Those annual audits help ensure public funds are properly accounted for and expended in accordance with governmental accounting standards and applicable laws.

The City has already begun implementing many of the recommendations contained in the report, while others were already in progress during the audit process. One significant area of focus is reducing water loss within the City's utility system. As part of its corrective action plan, the City has committed future funding to leak detection, infrastructure improvements, and other measures intended to reduce water loss and strengthen the reliability of the City's water system.

The City anticipates the cost of the special audit will be approximately $100,000. While the final invoice has not yet been received, funding for the audit has already been included in the City's budget.

Mayor Smith said the City views the audit as another step in its ongoing commitment to good government.

"Good government is never about claiming to be perfect. It's about being transparent, accepting constructive feedback, making improvements where needed, and always remaining accountable to the people we serve. We appreciate everyone who participated in this process, and we look forward to continuing to build an even stronger future for the City of Willard."

Residents interested in reviewing the final audit report and the City's corrective action plan may access them through the Missouri State Auditor's Office or on the City's website once posted.

For more information contact:

Mayor Troy Smith – tsmith@cityofwillard.org – 1-417-413-8400