HARRISBURG, PA — A new compliance audit of the Berks County Treasurer’s Office found the county properly collected, reported, and remitted millions of dollars in hunting, fishing, and dog license fees to the Commonwealth over a four-year period, according to a report released by Auditor General Timothy L. DeFoor.
The audit, covering July 1, 2019, through June 30, 2023, for hunting licenses and January 1, 2020, through December 31, 2023, for fishing and dog licenses, concluded the office complied with state laws and regulations governing the collection of license revenues on behalf of Pennsylvania’s Game Commission, Fish and Boat Commission, and Department of Agriculture.
Auditors reviewed whether funds collected were correctly assessed, reported, and remitted. The report found no significant issues. License sales were transferred through electronic funds transfers or check payments, depending on the program. Adjustments for credits, such as licenses issued to disabled veterans or renewals of senior lifetime hunting licenses, were accounted for in the records.
During the audit period, Berks County collected and remitted:
- More than $171,000 annually in hunting license sales in each of the four license years reviewed.
- Between $245 and $659 per year in fishing license sales.
- Between $158,000 and $182,000 annually in dog license sales.
A. Dennis Adams served as county treasurer until February 2023, when Socrates J. Georgeadis assumed the position through the end of the audit period.
The report emphasized that while the audit ensures compliance with revenue collection requirements, it does not provide an opinion on the accuracy of the amounts reported by the state agencies. It was shared with the Pennsylvania Game Commission, Fish and Boat Commission, and Department of Agriculture, as well as Berks County officials.
DeFoor thanked the Treasurer’s Office for its cooperation and said the findings underscore the importance of effective internal controls to safeguard public funds. The full audit is a matter of public record and is available at www.PaAuditor.gov.
For the latest news on everything happening in Chester County and the surrounding area, be sure to follow MyChesCo on Google News and MSN.