Bamberg, South Carolina (February 2022) – Bamberg County has again earned a strong financial review from an independent auditor, which found that the county's CARES Act expenditures, and the resultant reporting of same, met the State and Federal government's strict and the highest standards.

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act (2020) provided fast and direct economic assistance for American workers, families, small businesses, and industries. The CARES Act implemented a variety of programs to address issues related to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and was passed by Congress on March 25, 2020 and signed into law on March 27, 2020.

Recipients of federal CARES Act funds, including the County, were required to adhere to specific expenditure guidelines, to provide regular reports, and then also be subjected to an independent review of the expenditures.  The Federal CARES Act funds were administered by the S.C. Department of Administration, who contracted with an independent agency, to conduct reviews of each recipient. 

In their report to the South Carolina Department of Administration, Nan McKay and Associates, found that Bamberg County had no violations or conflicts associated with its use of COVID-19 relief funds.

Bamberg County Controller Gina R. Smith, who led the audit team, commended the county's effort to ensure accurate accounting in all matters. "I am pleased to work for an organization that pride's itself on doing things right. This is a validation of our hard work and dedication to accuracy in financial reporting."

Bamberg County received $155,344.01 from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES). These funds were used for payroll expenses, including quarantining, public health expenses, and shutdown and pandemic compliance expenses.

Patti McKeown, an auditor with Nan McKay & Associates, informed county officials that her agency was hired by the state, to ensure that CRF recipients implemented and administered funds in accordance with federal requirements.

"The State of South Carolina conducted monitoring from June through December 2021," she said in her letter. "We gathered high-level information regarding certain functions of your organization related to the overall administration of funds under the CRF and the applicable compliance requirements."

Nan McKay and Associates interviews departments, looks through county accounting records, internal controls, and recordkeeping, collecting and categorizing observations to determine if each observation is a finding or concern regarding the use of CRF funds.

"We provided more than 400 pages of documentation for their review, and it was a clean review," stated Smith. "These COVID relief funds came with strict federal requirements outlining how those dollars can and cannot be disbursed, and we have followed those requirements from day one."

Earlier this year, Bamberg County also received a credit rating of "A" from credit-rating agency Standard and Poor's and a separate "A-minus" credit rating the county received from Standard & Poor's as the county prepares for the issuance of a bond to refinance its 2015 installment purchase revenue bonds, or IPRBs, along with the issuance for its courthouse renovation.

"These processes are a challenge, but they are an important part of our commitment to government accountability and transparency," added Bamberg County Administrator Joey Preston. "Despite the many challenges we were faced with during this pandemic, we remained committed to the budgetary and accounting procedures we have adopted to guarantee that Bamberg County's tax dollars are spent in accordance with legal statutes, and properly accounted for."

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For more information on this press release, email info@bambergcounty.sc.gov.