Pass Christian Mayor Reports City Recovering From Audit Backlog

Mayor Kenny Torgeson stated Friday that Pass Christian is regaining financial stability after clearing a three-year backlog of state audits.

Torgeson spoke at the Chamber of Commerce Breakfast with the Mayor event. He is in his second year serving as mayor.

The 2023-24 audit results arrived in October. The report identified bookkeeping errors and oversight gaps. It also flagged two suspected cases of fraud.

City officials discovered the audit shortage shortly after Torgeson took office. He and the city board have spent the last year addressing the gap.

Two audits remain outstanding. Torgeson said the team is currently working on those final reviews.

"There are some findings, and we’re still working through those. Financially, the city is in very good condition," Torgeson said.

The administration also prioritized stalled public works projects. These include repairs to roads, sidewalks, and drainage systems.

Torgeson campaigned on delivering these long-pending improvements. He said some projects are already finished while others are underway.

"It’s never really fun to talk about sewer and water because it’s not exciting, but it is necessary," Torgeson said. "There are so many projects that are moving forward. Some of them have been completed. It’s been a great year for the city of Pass Christian with all of our little improvements."

Torgeson said the city aims to complete the remaining audits and finish the current construction phase this year.