Criteria - A primary control over cash is the timely and accurate reconciliation of all cash accounts. The
County was unable to maintain timely reconciliations of the County’s cash accounts which is also a
requirement of Texas Local Government Code, Sec. 113.008, Reconciliation of Depository Accounts.
Condition – Bank reconciliations were not prepared for October 2020 thru September 2021 until
February 2022 or later, nor did they agree to the general ledger.
Effect – Inaccurate financial information was provided to Commissioners’ Court as the bank
reconciliations were not performed timely. The Treasurer’s office was not able to find County errors,
bank errors or fraudulent activity on a timely basis. Additionally, the bank only gives you a few months
to identify and report fraudulent activities if you expect reimbursement.
Cause – The Treasurer has been unable to reconcile the bank accounts on a timely basis.
Recommendation - The County Treasurer and assistants should receive additional training in
reconciling bank accounts (with continued support from outside professionals, if necessary), until all
bank accounts are reconciled on a timely basis and tie to the general ledger.
Criteria - A primary control over accurate financial statements is the timely and accurate recording of
each receipt of revenue to the appropriate revenue account within the accounting software.
Condition – The Treasurer’s Deputy Clerk posts the daily receipts to a general receivable account in the
accounting software rather than the appropriate revenue account in the accounting software. The County
Auditor’s department then allocates the revenue to the appropriate account by journal entry. These were
578 of the 1,149 journal entries made to the accounting software to correct the revenues recorded by the
Treasurer’s office.
Effect – Inaccurate financial information was provided to Commissioners’ Court as revenue was
recorded to the accounts receivable account rather than the revenue account in the accounting software
system. Therefore, revenues were understated throughout the year.
Cause – The Treasurer is recording the revenue as a receivable in the balance sheet account rather than a
revenue in the Statement of Revenues and Expenditures. The County Auditor is then correcting the
entries at a later date.
Recommendation – The County Treasurer should be posting all revenues to the appropriate accounts on
the Statement of Revenues and Expenditures. They should only post to the Balance Sheet accounts when
transactions are directly related to a liability or a receivable. The auditor’s office should be auditing these
transactions not performing them. The County Treasurer and assistants should receive additional training
in recording revenue (with continued support from outside professionals, if necessary), until revenue is
recorded correctly within the software system.
Criteria –As per GASB Statement No. 84, Fiduciary Activities, the County is required to maintain a
complete and accurate schedule of Fiduciary Funds (agency and trust funds) from the various elected
officials.
Condition – Each elected official is currently monitoring trust and agency accounts and not sending this
information to the auditor to record in the centralized accounting system. The County was unable to
provide a summarized schedule of Fiduciary Funds at year end. In addition, there were two Special
Revenue Accounts that were not included in the financial accounting software and current year activity
was not recorded.
Effect – Misappropriation of assets could occur as well as inaccurate information provided in the
financial statements.
Cause – The elected officials are not providing timely information to the County Auditor’s office and the
County Auditor’s office is not following up on the missing information. Additionally, the information is
not recorded in the centralized accounting system.
Recommendation – Information from the various elected officials bank accounts for such things as
commissary funds, trust accounts, hot check funds, etc. should be provided to the County Auditor’s
office on a monthly basis. Activity for these funds should be included in the accounting software. A
complete and accurate schedule of Agency Funds and Special Revenue Funds should be maintained. In
addition, all special revenue activity should be recorded in the accounting software system. Although,
improvement has been made, improvement is still necessary.
Criteria - A primary control over accurate financial statements is the reconciliation of the subsidiary
accounts to the general ledger.
Condition – The County Auditor is charged with maintaining the records of the County’s financial
transactions including the general ledger. We noted numerous balance sheet accounts are not being
reconciled to the supporting subsidiary ledgers and accounts. This includes accruals such as receivables
and liabilities, as well as, interfund transactions including due to/from and transfers.
Effect – Inaccurate financial information was provided to Commissioners’ Court. Additionally, the
balance sheet accounts were either over or understated.
Cause – Subsidiary Ledgers are not being compared to the corresponding general ledger accounts in the
accounting software system by the County Auditor’s Office.
Recommendation – Supporting subsidiary ledgers and accounts should be prepared by the appropriate
department/personnel, such as the elected official, purchasing agent or grant coordinator and then audited
and reconciled to the general ledger by the County Auditor’s office. There has been improvement in this
area in the past year.
Criteria - Texas Local Government Code, Chapter 115, Audit of County Finances, requires that at least
once each quarter, the County Auditor shall check the books and shall examine in detail the reports of the
county tax assessor-collector, the county treasurer, and all other officers.
Condition – As noted in several of our findings and by the previous auditor, the County Auditor’s office
is involved with preparing much of the financial documentation that they should be auditing. This means
that they are auditing their own work. In addition, they do not have time to audit the other departments
as required as they are doing work in other areas.
Effect – The County Auditor’s office is auditing their own work, rather than reviewing and auditing the
work of the other offices.
Cause – The office is shorthanded and is performing work that other offices should be accomplishing.
Recommendation – The County should carefully segregate the financial tasks to the appropriate
department and personnel and that departments/personnel are properly trained on the financial tasks that
are required of them. The County Auditor’s office should audit the office of elected and appointed
officials as required. In areas, where it is determined that they are auditing their own work changes
should be made. The Auditor’s office has audited several departments in September of 2022.
Criteria – The County is responsible for the preparation for the Schedule of Expenditures of State
Awards (SESA) and Federal Awards (SEFA). Controls should be in place to ensure complete and
accurate reporting of information.
Condition – The County Grant Manager and the County Auditor’s office were not able to provide an
accurate Schedule of State and Federal Expenditures. The SESA and SEFA had incorrect amounts, did
not take accruals into consideration, amounts that were not grants and grants that were not recorded. The
external auditor was able to determine a Single audit was necessary as part of the auditing procedures.
Effect – The County did not determine that a Single Audit was necessary to comply with Federal and
State Requirements.
Cause – Tracking of the expenditures of the grants for the SESA/SEFA is not accomplished until year
end. The accruals, payments and prior year accruals were not considered in the preparation of the
reports.
Recommendation – Expenditure tracking for the SESA/SEFA should be a continuing process. The
Grant Manager should prepare the reports and the County Auditor’s office should review the reports.
We recommend training for the grants department and the auditor’s office in the area of Single Audit.
Criteria - A primary control over cash is the timely and accurate reconciliation of all cash accounts. The
County was unable to maintain timely reconciliations of the County’s cash accounts which is also a
requirement of Texas Local Government Code, Sec. 113.008, Reconciliation of Depository Accounts.
Condition – Bank reconciliations were not prepared for October 2020 thru September 2021 until
February 2022 or later, nor did they agree to the general ledger.
Effect – Inaccurate financial information was provided to Commissioners’ Court as the bank
reconciliations were not performed timely. The Treasurer’s office was not able to find County errors,
bank errors or fraudulent activity on a timely basis. Additionally, the bank only gives you a few months
to identify and report fraudulent activities if you expect reimbursement.
Cause – The Treasurer has been unable to reconcile the bank accounts on a timely basis.
Recommendation - The County Treasurer and assistants should receive additional training in
reconciling bank accounts (with continued support from outside professionals, if necessary), until all
bank accounts are reconciled on a timely basis and tie to the general ledger.
Criteria - A primary control over accurate financial statements is the timely and accurate recording of
each receipt of revenue to the appropriate revenue account within the accounting software.
Condition – The Treasurer’s Deputy Clerk posts the daily receipts to a general receivable account in the
accounting software rather than the appropriate revenue account in the accounting software. The County
Auditor’s department then allocates the revenue to the appropriate account by journal entry. These were
578 of the 1,149 journal entries made to the accounting software to correct the revenues recorded by the
Treasurer’s office.
Effect – Inaccurate financial information was provided to Commissioners’ Court as revenue was
recorded to the accounts receivable account rather than the revenue account in the accounting software
system. Therefore, revenues were understated throughout the year.
Cause – The Treasurer is recording the revenue as a receivable in the balance sheet account rather than a
revenue in the Statement of Revenues and Expenditures. The County Auditor is then correcting the
entries at a later date.
Recommendation – The County Treasurer should be posting all revenues to the appropriate accounts on
the Statement of Revenues and Expenditures. They should only post to the Balance Sheet accounts when
transactions are directly related to a liability or a receivable. The auditor’s office should be auditing these
transactions not performing them. The County Treasurer and assistants should receive additional training
in recording revenue (with continued support from outside professionals, if necessary), until revenue is
recorded correctly within the software system.
Criteria –As per GASB Statement No. 84, Fiduciary Activities, the County is required to maintain a
complete and accurate schedule of Fiduciary Funds (agency and trust funds) from the various elected
officials.
Condition – Each elected official is currently monitoring trust and agency accounts and not sending this
information to the auditor to record in the centralized accounting system. The County was unable to
provide a summarized schedule of Fiduciary Funds at year end. In addition, there were two Special
Revenue Accounts that were not included in the financial accounting software and current year activity
was not recorded.
Effect – Misappropriation of assets could occur as well as inaccurate information provided in the
financial statements.
Cause – The elected officials are not providing timely information to the County Auditor’s office and the
County Auditor’s office is not following up on the missing information. Additionally, the information is
not recorded in the centralized accounting system.
Recommendation – Information from the various elected officials bank accounts for such things as
commissary funds, trust accounts, hot check funds, etc. should be provided to the County Auditor’s
office on a monthly basis. Activity for these funds should be included in the accounting software. A
complete and accurate schedule of Agency Funds and Special Revenue Funds should be maintained. In
addition, all special revenue activity should be recorded in the accounting software system. Although,
improvement has been made, improvement is still necessary.
Criteria - A primary control over accurate financial statements is the reconciliation of the subsidiary
accounts to the general ledger.
Condition – The County Auditor is charged with maintaining the records of the County’s financial
transactions including the general ledger. We noted numerous balance sheet accounts are not being
reconciled to the supporting subsidiary ledgers and accounts. This includes accruals such as receivables
and liabilities, as well as, interfund transactions including due to/from and transfers.
Effect – Inaccurate financial information was provided to Commissioners’ Court. Additionally, the
balance sheet accounts were either over or understated.
Cause – Subsidiary Ledgers are not being compared to the corresponding general ledger accounts in the
accounting software system by the County Auditor’s Office.
Recommendation – Supporting subsidiary ledgers and accounts should be prepared by the appropriate
department/personnel, such as the elected official, purchasing agent or grant coordinator and then audited
and reconciled to the general ledger by the County Auditor’s office. There has been improvement in this
area in the past year.
Criteria - Texas Local Government Code, Chapter 115, Audit of County Finances, requires that at least
once each quarter, the County Auditor shall check the books and shall examine in detail the reports of the
county tax assessor-collector, the county treasurer, and all other officers.
Condition – As noted in several of our findings and by the previous auditor, the County Auditor’s office
is involved with preparing much of the financial documentation that they should be auditing. This means
that they are auditing their own work. In addition, they do not have time to audit the other departments
as required as they are doing work in other areas.
Effect – The County Auditor’s office is auditing their own work, rather than reviewing and auditing the
work of the other offices.
Cause – The office is shorthanded and is performing work that other offices should be accomplishing.
Recommendation – The County should carefully segregate the financial tasks to the appropriate
department and personnel and that departments/personnel are properly trained on the financial tasks that
are required of them. The County Auditor’s office should audit the office of elected and appointed
officials as required. In areas, where it is determined that they are auditing their own work changes
should be made. The Auditor’s office has audited several departments in September of 2022.
Criteria – The County is responsible for the preparation for the Schedule of Expenditures of State
Awards (SESA) and Federal Awards (SEFA). Controls should be in place to ensure complete and
accurate reporting of information.
Condition – The County Grant Manager and the County Auditor’s office were not able to provide an
accurate Schedule of State and Federal Expenditures. The SESA and SEFA had incorrect amounts, did
not take accruals into consideration, amounts that were not grants and grants that were not recorded. The
external auditor was able to determine a Single audit was necessary as part of the auditing procedures.
Effect – The County did not determine that a Single Audit was necessary to comply with Federal and
State Requirements.
Cause – Tracking of the expenditures of the grants for the SESA/SEFA is not accomplished until year
end. The accruals, payments and prior year accruals were not considered in the preparation of the
reports.
Recommendation – Expenditure tracking for the SESA/SEFA should be a continuing process. The
Grant Manager should prepare the reports and the County Auditor’s office should review the reports.
We recommend training for the grants department and the auditor’s office in the area of Single Audit.