Southtowns Record

Town of Brant – Transparency of Fiscal Activities (S9-25-23)

Government
Town of Brant
Posted by publisher
Mar 20, 2026
Kind
State audit
Topics
Audits and oversight, Budget and taxes

Publisher's summary

Did the Town of Brant (Town) Board (Board) conduct or provide for an annual audit of the Town Supervisor’s (Supervisor) financial records and reports, and did the Supervisor file the Annual Financial Report (AFR) with the Office of the State Comptroller (OSC) as required?

Original document

Text · page 10 of 17

are properly accounted for and whether any significant fiscal concerns exist. An audit of the town
supervisor’s records should be thorough and sufficiently detailed to determine that the following
minimum concerns are met:

  • Financial records are complete and up to date,

  • Transactions are recorded properly,

  • Reconciliations are performed monthly, and

  • Required reports are made in a timely and accurate manner.

Once complete, a town supervisor must cause a certified copy of this previous year’s annual
accounting to the board to be published in the official town newspaper.5

Based on the financial books and records maintained by the town supervisor and the accounting
provided to the town board, GML Section 30 requires the town supervisor to prepare and file the AFR
of the town’s financial position and results of operations with OSC within 60 days6 after the close of the
fiscal year. As part of its fiscal oversight responsibilities, a town board should be assessing the town’s
books, records, and supporting documentation and monitoring the performance of town officers and
employees who are entrusted with recordkeeping and other financial responsibilities, including the town
supervisor who prepares and files financial information. In addition, the AFR must be made available to
the public in accordance with:

  • A town board resolution that authorizes a town supervisor to use the AFR filed with OSC as an
  alternate to making available the prior year’s annual accounting to the board;

  • Town Law Section 29 which requires a town clerk to publish either a summary of the AFR in the
  town’s official newspaper within 10 days after the AFR has been received, or a notice that a copy
  of the AFR is on file and is available to the public for inspection,7 and

  • GML Section 30 which requires a town to make the AFR accessible to the public on its official
  website.

5 See Town Law Section 29 [10].
6 Towns with populations under 5,000 have 60 days to file, between 5,000 to 19,999 have 90 days, and populations with 20,000 or more
have 120 days.
7 See Town Law Section 29 [10-a].

8  Of f ic e of t he New York State Comptroller