AUDITORS MEETING
TOWN OF HALIFAX, VERMONT
MEETING MINUTES – DRAFT
January 16th, 2025

5:00 PM AT THE HALIFAX TOWN OFFICE

CALL TO ORDER
Erin Lovern called the meeting to order at 5:00pm. Auditors present are Kathryn Shaifer,
Erin Lovern and Adam Morrow.

CHANGES AND ADDITIONS TO THE AGENDA
No changes.

NEW BUSINESS
After all initial introductions are made, the objectives and roles of the auditors are
reviewed. In addition to the current objectives and roles, Erin suggests we should define
some of the terms and funds for clarification. Also, the long term goals of the auditors
could be documenting the audit process to make available for future audits. This
information would be available for use for any auditor going forward as a sort of “Audit
Manual”. Adam and Kathryn agreed that this is a good idea.

Erin Lovern volunteers to be the chair and it is so confirmed by Kathryn and Adam. Then, as
an overview, she reads aloud some salient points from the Handbook For Locally Elected
Auditors by the Vermont League of Cities and Towns.

Erin provides the Halifax Treasurer Balances Sheet for fiscal year 2023 and 2024 as well as
Halifax Treasurer Profit & Loss Sheet for fiscal year 2024. First, Erin correlated the Balance
Sheet as of June 30, 2024 with her Balance Sheet as of June 30, 2023. It is noted that the
structuring and banks of holding for some of the 5 major Halifax funds (Cael Fund,
Cemetery Fund, Eames Fund, Scott Fund and Wicks Fund) has changed and that the funds
are all currently being held in just the Brattleboro Savings and Loan Bank and Edward
Jones. The most obvious differences between the 2023 and 2024 Balance Sheet are
specifically, the rolling over of CD 5041695541, CD 4755796858 and the absence of Asset
Item 1110 – Scott and Eames FUND. These have now all been rolled up into Asset Item
1100 GENERAL ACCT-329. The auditors divided up all questions and clarifications to be

emailed and directed to Patricia Dow, Edee Edwards and Laurel Copeland, in addition to
requests for information on current banks of holding for Asset Items 1185 & 1180 and
printouts of the account balances for Asset Items 1000 and 1100.
The auditors then reviewed all the documentation on the funds supplied by Laurel
Copeland. It was agreed that this documentation would be needed until the end of the
audit.

Erin, Kathryn and Adam noted the discrepancy in Mary Brewster’s Delinquent Tax
Receivable report against the Balance Sheet. Mary Brewster explained to Erin in a text
message that this is normal and that it also happened in fiscal year 2023. Mary’s
explanation in her text message wasn’t clear. It is agreed that Kathryn will contact Mary
Brewster once she has reviewed Mary’s three emailed-attachments that were sent to
Kathryn and Erin before this first auditor’s meeting.

Erin then went over the process of physically auditing the town’s records starting with the
Profit & Loss sheet and explained a three point check system to verify the completion of
recorded transactions with outside vendors and a one point check system for billable
hours for the ROAD CREW.

Also reviewed by the auditors is a request for a Loan from the Scott Fund from Patricia Dow,
Treasurer which was signed and approved by Edee Edwards, Karen ChristoYerson, Rhonda
Ashcraft and Patrick McAllister on May 29th 2024. It was discussed that Erin would clarify
the reason for the budget shortage and why it was approved as a loan against the Scott and
Eames Funds.

The auditors agreed to begin the audit before the next meeting to be held Wednesday
January 22nd 2025. Per the VLCT Handbook for Elected Auditors, auditors can do most of
their work in informal work sessions and these are not to be considered “meetings”, thus it
is unnecessary to formally warn the sessions or open to the public.

HEARING OF VISITORS
No visitors.

ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 8:37 PM.