The Dallas County annual audit, for the first time in a decade, is as clean as it gets.

“It’s the first time we’ve had an audit this good since 1994,” Commission Financial Director Nancy Wilson said. “I’m proud of all of it.”

During the course of the 2002-03 fiscal year, the county effectively administered a budget of $20.9 million dollars.

The county effectively spent $15.9 million and carried approximately $5 million into the 2003-04 fiscal year.

Of the revenues received by the county, the majority of the money came from taxes and intergovernmental grants, totaling nearly $12 million. The county had a relatively low debt rate, $4.6 million, mostly in bond issues.

The county’s biggest expenditures were:

$4 million for public safety, which included the county jail, the sheriff’s department and the EMA.

$4 million for highways, roads and bridges.

$3.6 million for general government expenses, which includes the county court system.

The audit – released in early July – examined how well the county kept up with the funds they spent and collected.

Only one finding was worthy of note, and it was left over from the previous fiscal year. The funds – including debts and revenue – for Jim Minor Homes, were not administered through the county during the 2002-2003 fiscal year.

The state ruled they should have been.

According to Wilson, the finding for Jim Minor was a hold-over from the previous year. Wilson said the only reason the county didn’t correct it earlier because they didn’t find out about it until two months before the end of the fiscal year.

The county doesn’t know the results of an audit until July after each fiscal year reviewed.

The commission decided to wait and fix the problem at the beginning of the ’03-’04 year, because of changes in accounting procedures at that time.

Probate Judge John W. Jones Jr., Commission Chairman, was pleased with the results.

“It was a good audit,” Jones said. “We attribute it to the efforts of the Commission and their staff. We’re paying close attention to fiscal responsibility.”