Halifax County received a clean audit for the past fiscal year as cost-saving measures it put in place for the last several fiscal years continue to pay off.

Marcie Spivey, an auditor with the firm Martin Starnes and Associates, gave the county an unqualified opinion in an audit where no significant deficiencies were found.

The audit showed the county ended last fiscal year with an available fund balance of $23,027,794. “Your fund balance grew,” Spivey said. “Your revenues increased $2 million.”

Spivey said the county increased its tax collections by $300,000. The tax collection rate in 2012 was 97.05 percent. “The tax department has a lot to do with that good collection rate. You had a half-million sales tax increase. You collected $214,000 more than last year.”

County Manager Tony Brown said during a break in the meeting the report “was a great audit” and that the county’s Standard & Poor’s bond rating did not decrease. Its bond rating stands at A+.

The bond rating has been as low as A-, Finance Director Linda Taylor said. Fueling both the good audit report and bond rating, she said, have been, “Good financial reports. It’s a team effort where the whole county works together with the support of the county commissioners and county manager.”

In other matters today the board:

Authorized the expenditure of $64,200 to help with site preparations for a company considering moving to the county. According to the resolution approved, the manufacturer, which remains unnamed, plans to make a $41 million facility investment and $69 million machinery and equipment investment. County Economic Development Director Kathy Scott said the company would bring 358 new jobs to the county.

Approved a request from the Roanoke Rapids Graded School District to withdraw $101,225 from lottery funds to demolish the Winn-Dixie building and do asbestos abatement. The school was also given $46,400 in special capital outlay funds to re-roof the seventh-grade building at Chaloner Middle School.

Selected James Pierce as chairman and Rives Manning as vice chairman.

Recognized the retirement of Tax Coordinator Pamela Harris, who spent more than 30 years with the county, 14 of those within the tax department. “It’s been a great career for me,” she said, choking back tears. “I thank the staff and the great tax family. I can’t imagine what life will be like without them but I’m going to find out.”