MACOMB COUNTY, Mich. (Michigan News Source) — Macomb County’s long-missing 2024 audit is finally public, and it explains why it took so long.

County officials released the audit more than six months past the state deadline, revealing multiple “material weaknesses” tied to staffing shortages and a troubled transition to new financial software.

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The audit, presented last week by accounting firm UHY, missed the state’s June 30 deadline after the county struggled to provide complete and reconciled financial data. Officials traced the delays largely to the Finance Department’s ongoing shift from its former One Solution system to Workday, a process that began in 2022 and coincided with employee turnover.

Among the findings: four material weaknesses and one deficiency in internal controls, all connected to the late submission of financial information. Auditors also noted the county could not immediately identify the source of $3.9 million deposited into the general fund, part of $66 million in internal transfers between departments.

Despite the findings, auditors said the county remains financially stable, with strong cash reserves and low debt levels at the close of 2024.

To prevent a repeat, the finance department has overhauled its review process, adding regular reconciliations and oversight. 

As Finance Director John Scanlon put it: hitting the next audit is “100% the goal.”