By GREG BISHOP
Illinois Radio Network
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (IRN) — State legislators are taking the Illinois Department of Natural Resources to task for a scathing audit.
The Illinois Legislative Audit Commission discussed a recent Auditor General finding for IDNR that wasn’t flattering.
“This means that while we obtained sufficient, appropriate audit evidence, the misstatements individually or in the aggregate were both material and pervasive to the subject matter,” said a staff member with the Auditor General’s Office. “To such an extent, we expressed an adverse opinion pursuant to the codification of statements on standards for attestation engagements pursuant to which our compliance examinations are conducted.”
There were 37 total findings in the audit, including not having adequate controls over historical artifacts and improper reporting of various financial accounts.
IDNR Director Natalie Phelps Finnie, who came on under the Pritzker administration in 2023, noted the audit in question is from before her time.
“Fixing recurring audit findings is a critical priority,” she told the commission. “We are committed to ensuring transparency, meeting the rules of compliance, and improving processes.”
Phelps Finnie said she’s confident the team now in place will work toward cleaning up continued audit findings.
During the hearing, state Rep. Charlie Meier, R-Okawville, had a question about some of the state’s historic sites.
“There’s some talk in southern Illinois as we looked at Cahokia Mounds and the charters for Kaskaskia and maybe trying to broker into a federal park system in the revenue that could bring in,” Meier said.
Phelps Finnie said the agency is open to working with the federal government about making those locations national parks.
“When you’re looking at over a billion dollars of deferred maintenance, I don’t think we’re in a position to be choosy and to be prideful and say, ‘you know, these are ours,’” she said. “We’re holding on to these if there’s a better way to do it, and the federal government can come in making a national park, we’re open to that conversation.”
