MACHIAS — With only one firm submitting a proposal, the Washington County Commission accepted a bid from a national firm to complete the county’s 2023, 2024 and 2025 audits.
Wipfli, which offers accounting, auditing, leadership development, human resources, technology and other services, has offices in Augusta and South Portland.
Commissioners put auditing services out to bid last month after the county’s longtime auditor gave notice, saying he could not meet the deadline commissioners and Machias Savings Bank had set for completing the 2023 and 2024 audits.
The county sent invitations to bid to several Maine accounting firms, including RHR Smith & Co., certified public accountant Andrea White, and Felch & Co. All responded, but none submitted a bid.
The county also reached out to Portland-based accountant Ron Beaulieu, who has audited Coplin Plantation and Parsonsfield. He did not submit a bid but was willing to negotiate a contract.
Wipfli’s bid was $30,000 for the 2023 audit, $31,500 for the 2024 audit and $32,300 for the 2025 audit. The company agreed to complete the 2023 and 2024 audits by the deadline and the 2025 audit in 2027.
The proposal also included a $7,500 charge for the county’s required federal audit for each of the three years, with annual costs ranging from $5,500 to $7,500. The secondary audits are required for any entity receiving federal funds to ensure compliance with financial management practices and federal grant requirements.
Wipfli also listed a 6 percent technology fee on top of its quoted price, which raised questions from commissioners.
Chairman David Burns also questioned why charges increased year over year.
“I’ve always understood that once the first year was done,” Burns said, “they could work the next audit off that year’s numbers and it’s less work.”
Commissioner Billy Howard said he was “surprised we got any bids” at all, given the deadline the county faces to complete audits.
In February, when Washington County paid its overdue 2025 tax anticipation note, the bank agreed to issue a 2026 TAN for $7 million, to be delivered in two payments. The first, almost $5 million, has already been paid to the county. The second, $2 million, will be available July 1 if the county meets several terms and conditions, including delivering its audited financial statements for 2023 and 2024 by June 30.
“We’re over a barrel here,” Burns said, noting the county had little choice but to accept the Wipfli bid.
The commission voted unanimously to do so and asked staff members to verify the quoted 6 percent technology fee and explain what it covers.
In early April, the Legislature passed a bill requiring county governments to file annual audits within 12 months of the end of each fiscal year and directing the state auditor to review them upon submission to ensure they are complete. The change adds pressure on counties to file timely audits, which has been a struggle in past years because of a shortage of auditors in Maine.
June 30 is also the deadline set by the bank for the county to hire a full‑time financial director.
Following an executive session Thursday, commissioners voted unanimously to hire Jenny Windsor for the new finance director position.
Commissioners added $70,000 to the budget passed in December and will move $40,000 from the treasurer’s salary to fund the full-time position.
In other matters, commissioners accepted a bid from Quirk Chevrolet of Bangor for a new four‑wheel‑drive Chevrolet Tahoe for the Washington County Sheriff’s Office. The base bid was $55,001, and the county will spend another $20,000 to equip the vehicle for law enforcement. Quirk’s quote included $1,523 for factory‑installed equipment, an amount that will be deducted from the $20,000 equipment cost.
Two other bids came in higher than Quirk’s for the same truck: $57,925 from Darling’s of Bangor and $55,760 from McGovern Auto Group of Marlborough, Massachusetts.
Commissioners also spent nearly an hour reviewing new job descriptions for all county employee positions, a step they were advised to take as part of efforts to better organize county government. Job descriptions will be reviewed annually going forward.
They also took up a memorandum of understanding, or MOU, between the county and Teamsters Local Union 340, which represents the county’s clerical staff.
The MOU provides a $30 monthly phone stipend for any member of the bargaining unit who elects not to use a county‑provided cellphone.
The language differs slightly from the current MOU, which offers stipends only when employees are required to use a phone beyond work hours.
Burns questioned whether all clerical staff members need phones outside regular work hours; at least two do not.
Commissioners asked County Manager Renée Gray to return to the union with amended language limiting stipends to staff who are required to use cellphones outside of work.
Those employees also have the option of using a county‑provided phone.
