Helper's fiscal 2025 audit reports three funds over budget, including $459,331 for a building project
Helper's fiscal 2025 audit reports that the Municipal Building Authority fund spent $459,331 on a public works building project with no adopted appropriation, and that the sewer and garbage funds also exceeded their budgets.
Continuing story: Auditing Helper
Three Helper funds spent more than their adopted budgets in the fiscal year ended June 30, 2025, according to the city's audited financial statements. The largest overrun was $459,331 in the Municipal Building Authority fund. [1]
The notes to the statements say the authority's overrun was "a result of the public works building project, for which no appropriation had been adopted." [1]
What the audit lists
The authority's budget comparison shows $101,000 in final budgeted spending and $541,951 in actual spending. The difference is $459,331 in capital outlay, which had no budget line, partly offset by $18,380 less debt service than budgeted. [3]
The sewer fund exceeded its budgeted expenditures by $52,249 and the garbage fund by $28,332. Two capital projects funds, the general capital projects fund and the Rio Hotel capital projects fund, spent $4,317 and $70 with no budget adopted. [1]
The auditor reported the overruns as finding 2025-1, citing the Utah Code requirement that governments operate within legally adopted budgets. It recommended that the council review budget-versus-actual reports and amend budgets as needed. [2]
Management responded that "the City Council will periodically assess the accuracy of the annual budget by fund and by department." [2]
How the building was financed
The authority recorded $519,000 in loan proceeds and $233,000 in intergovernmental revenue in fiscal 2025. Neither was in its final budget. [3]
The city's debt note lists a 2024 taxable lease revenue loan of $519,000 at 0% interest, maturing July 1, 2055. The management discussion describes it as a loan "for the public works building." [4][6]
The authority's fund balance went from a deficit of $197,307 to $81,680 by the end of the year. [3]
The auditor said it found no deficiencies it considered material weaknesses or significant deficiencies in internal control over compliance, and its compliance opinion was not modified because of the finding. [5]
Figures come from Helper City's audited financial statements for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2025, as filed with the Utah State Auditor.
Sources
- Helper City · FY2025 financial statements, Note 7, budget variance
- Helper City · FY2025 financial statements, findings and management responses
- Helper City · FY2025 financial statements, MBA special revenue fund budget and actual
- Helper City · FY2025 financial statements, Note 4, long-term obligations
- Helper City · FY2025 financial statements, state compliance report
- Helper City · FY2025 financial statements, management's discussion: long-term debt
Reporting by The Utah Ledger from the public records above. AI-assisted, checked against those records.