WALHALLA — A growing accounting firm based in Spartanburg is taking over the annual audit of Oconee County’s financial books.

The Oconee County Council this week approved a $60,000 contract with the public accounting and consulting firm of McAbee, Talbert & Halliday (MTH) to perform its state-mandated audit for fiscal 2009-10.

MTH takes over Oconee’s audit from Elliott Davis LLP out of Greenwood, which has been preparing the county’s financial statements since 2005.

Oconee Procurement Director Robyn Courtright said Wednesday that MTH won the audit contract over six other companies that bid on the job, including local firms Stancil, Cooley, Estep & Stamey in Seneca and The Colditz Group of Westminster.

Following an initial review of the seven companies, the top three companies with the highest scores — Elliott Davis; Greene, Finney & Horton of Mauldin and MHT were brought in for interviews, Courtright said. When the three went through a second round of scoring, MHT came out on top.

Elliott Davis is currently working on the 2008-09 audit, which should be completed in December, Courtright said.

Oconee County Interim Administrator and Finance Director Kendra Brown, and Sally Lowery and Susan Bright, fiscal analyst and payroll specialist for the Oconee County School District respectively, unanimously awarded the winning bid to MHT after reviewing all proposals.

Under South Carolina law, Oconee County must provide for an independent annual audit of all financial records and transactions by a Certified Public Accountant that has no direct or indirect personal interest in the fiscal affairs of the county or its officers.

The contract with MHT could be renewed annually four more times with an increase of three percent each year, if both parties agree. The cost at the end of the five years to the county would be $318,365.