District Judge Roy Ferguson has appointed Rick Herrman of Fort Davis as the new auditor for Presidio County.
Herrman, an investment banker and certified public account, will be tasked with reviewing and overseeing the county's finances, which Judge Ferguson concluded were in bad shape after reviewing the county's audit from 2012. That decision was also helped by the fact that the county's yet to see an audit from the 2013 fiscal year.
On Monday (May 5), commissioners agreed to move $280,000 from the county's Jail Fund to help balance a budget shortfall. $72,500 of that money will cover the unanticipated cost of an office for the new auditor and at least one assistant.
Hermann says he spent the past weekend reviewing the county's finances, and that the challenge ahead involves working on "material deficiencies" in policies, procedures and controls. The county's "adverse opinion" audit for 2012 revealed a number of weaknesses in those areas.
A public hearing on Herrman's appointment will be held this afternoon (Tuesday, May 6th) in the District Courtroom of the Presidio County Courthouse in Marfa.
Lorne Matalon contributed to this report.
