Thursday, July 25, 2024–11:15 a.m.

-John Bailey, Rome News-Tribune-

This story is possible because of a news-sharing agreement with the Rome News-Tribune. More information can be found at northwestgeorgianews.com

The new director of the Northwest Georgia Housing Authority has brought in an outside accountant to begin sorting out finances within the agency.

During the authority’s meeting Wednesday morning, board member Billy Cooper mentioned that at the end of the last meeting former executive director Sandra Hudson expressed some concern for the authority’s financial stability.

Authority Executive Director Justin Jones wouldn’t elaborate on the organization’s finances Wednesday, but did acknowledge to the board there are some discrepancies that need to be clarified and addressed.

“What I will say is, we have some cash flow issues,” Jones said.

At this point it appears those issues may have arisen from a change in the authority’s financial reporting system vendor a few years back. The new system wasn’t set up correctly, he said, and they need to make sure funds allocated for specific projects or uses are going to those specific projects or uses.

“As an accountant, this is going to take some time to straighten out,” Jones told the board. “Within the next quarter we’ll have a better understanding.”

Within the authority, there are a number of funding streams which are allocated for use only for specific projects. There are general funds, which can be used for most purposes. Then there are federal funds only for use on federal projects, and the list goes on.

They’re currently working to get that issue rectified and it’s a significant undertaking, Board Chair Lee Hight said.

“We do have money; we have to put it in the right spot,” Hight told the other members of the board.

The authority also needs to make sure the processes are in place to ensure funds issued incorrectly are repaid and those accounts replenished, she said.

“The people of our finance department did a good job to get the bills paid, but it appears that some payments may not have come from the correct accounts,” Hight said.

And there’s a pretty short deadline: The annual audit is due on Sept. 30. To assist in that process Jones has hired an outside accountant, Shango Oseitutu, to begin the auditing process.

Going forward, Jones said he intends to make sure the board is receiving full financial reporting on the operations of the housing authority and he’ll also present a list of ways to optimize the housing authority’s operations.

“That’s the best news I’ve heard in a long time,” Hight said.

Speaking specifically of funding programs, SOAR Coordinator Elaina Beeman asked what programs, if any, are at risk for the chopping block.

“We’re not going to know a whole lot until we have our finances in order,” Hight told her.

The new director was also joined by newly appointed board member Jamie Palmer on Wednesday.

Rome city commissioners appointed Palmer to replace Elihue Curtis on the board during their meeting on Monday. That new appointment also brings some history. Palmer’s mother worked for and retired from the authority as a purchasing manager. She’d also managed the Wee Care Daycare on Crane Street and managed properties under former director Sandra Hudson.

“My connection to the housing authority is something that means a lot to me,” Palmer told the other board members.