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2023 Ends With Century’s State-Required Financial Audit Not Posted
December 31, 2023
As 2023 comes to a close, Century’s state-required audit of the previous fiscal year is now six months overdue, leaving residents without a clear picture of the financial condition of their town.
The legal deadline for submitting the Annual Financial Report, often referred to simply as an audit, to the Florida Department of Financial Services is June 30 of each year.
As of December 30, Century’s 2021-22 fiscal year audit that was due June 30, 2023, had not been received and posted online by the Florida Auditor General.
Century has missed the state law mandated audit deadline every year for about a decade.
The late audit comes in a year that Florida State Sen. Doug Broxson warned interim Century Mayor Luis Gomez, Jr. that the town may need to consider de-chartering and letting Escambia County take over.
Broxson’s comments came during a late October meeting of the Escambia County Legislative Delegation — Sen. Doug Broxson, State Rep. Alex Andrade and State Rep. Michelle Salzman — in Pensacola. Gomez had addressed the delegation, thanking them for millions in state funding that has gone to projects in Century, including a bridge replacement, wastewater treatment plant repairs and repairs to a failed water well serving the state prison.
‘I’ve been dealing with Century for 14 years,” Broxson told Gomez. “I know you’ve had tremendous challenges there. Your tax base is very low, and your needs are very great. I can tell you this delegation has doubled down on trying to help Century.”
“We are praying for you, we know you have a big challenge, we want you to do well,” Broxson continued. “But we know you are in tough circumstances. I would hope that at some point if things continue where it’s a challenge to meet your budget, that you would consider de-chartering Century so you could come under the umbrella of Escambia County and let them take their resources and help you with some of your major problems. I’ve watched it, I know you’ve tried, but we really need a bigger hand to help you get to where you need to be.”
The last audit with the state three months late for fiscal year 2020-21 found a deficit balance in the General Fund of $2.9 million and in the Natural Gas Fund of $1.8 million. A list of deficiencies and problems were also identified, many repeated from previous years.
A 2019 grand jury report that found gross mismanagement in the town, over a million dollars lost in utility operations, missing natural gas, about $3 million improperly borrowed from accounts with a 750-year payback plan, and a state of financial emergency. The town has never worked to follow many of the grand jury recommendations.
Comments
14 Responses to “2023 Ends With Century’s State-Required Financial Audit Not Posted”
Another question is; Is it ethical for a licensed attorney to participate in this kind of questionable deal?
century is a town in name only. NOTHING is done in the community to better it. that mess on hwy 29 pretty much says it all. it is a state project but if it was on hwy 29 in pensacola it would have been fixed long ago.
West of the Apalachicola River, Century (Escambia County), Noma (Holmes County), Mexico Beach (Bay County), and Vernon (Washington County) are the other communities that do not have 2021-22 Fiscal Audit Reports posted.
These are all very small municipalities. (Mexico Beach was also all but obliterated by Hurricane Michael.)
Sounds like the Florida Auditor General needs to reach out to see what can be done to get these small northwest Florida local governments into compliance with the auditing statutes.
Too bad the town of Century is in the shape it is in. Maybe it does need to lose its charter but the idea of turning it over to the county to solve its problems may not be the best idea. Should the folks that don’t live in Century or caused their problem be saddled with coming out of their pockets to bail them out? I don’t think so. Reminds me of the great Biden idea of forgiving the student loan program. Senator Broxson says he has known of this Century problem for 14 years yet all he has done is throw our state tax money at it and hope for the best. Glad he is on the way out but not before he tries to throw the good folks in North Santa Rosa county by forming a utilities authority that they don’t want or need. More on this later.
The state needs to cancel their charter now this is getting old. They need to pay back all the grant money also.
Didn’t Salzman and Broxson mention ending their city charter? They should do that and let the county take over.
750 year pay back plan? LOL
And what’s new?? Obviously the County and the State don’t care since nothing is ever done about it. Senator Broxton said he’s been following this mess for 14 years. There was a Grand Jury report and nothing was done. Sunshine Laws ignored, public water supply not tested, lost or missing and on and on. No fines, no reprimands, no accountability. Why change now??
Senator Broxson, please write to the appropriate State authorities and have them investigate this mess. Anyone who has followed the City of Century through NorthEscambia.com’s articles for any length of time knows things are not right, not sustainable, and in all likelihood the charter needs to be rescinded.
Why does the county and state keep pouring money into this place with no accountability of what it is used for. This place is the Prichard of Escambia county.
It’s time to throw in the towel.
The incompetence and malfeasance is overwhelming.
The state needs to step in. Revoke the charter and sell off assets.
Always can expect a non-compliance article on Centry. Does anyone in Centry know that certain documents, water tests and procedures need to be turned in yearly, weekly monthly? A simple computer-generated checklist should be in order!
Century continues to play like the rule’s don’t apply, and state keeps handing them more millions to keep them afloat.When will the State Attorney’s Office or the Florida Audition General step in with a full foresic audit. Taxpapers deserve more than this clown show
it’s time for a major change. Probably haven’t heard that before. To me the last straw the final nail in the coffin was hiring a manager or whatever this guy is with questionable credentials and background to assist the mayor. Yank the charter do everybody that lives in that area a favor by doing so. It’s the same thing over and over with the same results.