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LCIDA Response to State Comptroller’s Audit Report
Published: June 19, 2025 at
07:00 p.m.
By: Statement from
Lewis County Industrial Development Agency
The Lewis County
Industrial Development Agency (LCIDA) has issued the following statement in
response to the New York State
Comptroller’s audit report regarding the agency:
“The Lewis County
IDA had a routine audit from the NYS Comptroller’s office in 2024. The
recent news release of the audit summary has raised questions regarding the
staff services agreement between the IDA and Naturally Lewis. As the full
report clearly explains, there is no funding missing or ill intent. The IDA
has a legal agreement with Naturally Lewis, approved by both boards, for
staff services. The Comptrollers office
interpretation of this agreement determined overpayment in the first-year of the contract, not in total funds. In fact,
the Comptrollers interpretation of the agreement found that over the next
several years the contract will result in a greater total amount to be paid
to Naturally Lewis for staff services. Naturally Lewis is responsibly
managing this funding for its intended purposes.
Naturally Lewis,
Inc. was established in 2023 to be the hub of economic development for
Lewis County in partnership with the Lewis County IDA, Lewis County
Development Corporation and Lewis County Chamber of Commerce. One aspect of
this partnership is Naturally Lewis providing
staff services to the other entities through staff services agreements with
all partner entities and all entities focused on the same economic
development initiatives to benefit Lewis County.
The IDA accepts
the Comptrollers interpretation of the legal agreement and is actively
working in coordination with the Comptrollers
office to submit an official action plan to explain how the IDA and
Naturally Lewis will reformat the payment schedule. Steps to amend the
structure have already been taken for the 2025 agreement and budget. As
always, the goals of all partner entities remain the same, to advance
economic development in Lewis County by providing technical resources and
thoughtful investments for the community, which the funds in question
remain dedicated to,” Joe Lawrence, Board Chair, Lewis County IDA.
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