WESTERNPORT, Md. - Thanks to a last-minute phone call and a deadline extension from the state, the Town of Westernport was able to submit its years-late audit in time enough to avoid a hold being placed on state project funds.
Mayor Allen Shapiro announced during a special meeting held Thursday, Oct. 29, that Westernport had missed sending in a required audit for its 2024 budget year.
And while the absolute deadline for submission was Oct. 31, Shapiro said at the time there was no way they would be able to get the audit completed and submitted by that time.
As a result of missing that deadline, Westernport was to be fined 20% of its highway user fee, and any state funds the town had received - including money for the long-awaited water system upgrade - would be placed on hold until July 2027.
Monday, however, the news was much better.
“I contacted the state and the state gave us until today to file it,” Shapiro said during the regularly-scheduled town meeting.
“At 2:30 this afternoon, we filed the audit. It’s accepted and complete. There will be no penalty,” he said.
Shapiro went on to thank Jason Patterson, who has been filling in at the town office following the resignation of to...