Audit 376845

Untimely Single Audit Filing Condition and criteria: The Authority did not submit their Single Audit Report for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2024 within nine months of the fiscal year end, as required by the Uniform Guidance (2 CFR § 200.512), resulting in a delinquent submission. Cause and Effect: There were inadequate internal controls in place regarding the audit process to ensure that timely submissions of the Single Audit report would be met. The delinquency may lead to the suspension or termination of federal funding, as well as potential penalties or corrective actions from the funding agency. Auditor’s Recommendations: The Authority should establish a system to closely monitor Single Audit deadlines, designate clear responsibilities for the audit process, and proactively communicate with the auditor to ensure timely completion and submission of the report. Authority’s Response: Eldred Borough Water Authority was unable to contract a CPA to perform the single audit. The Authority has since contracted with a CPA firm to perform the single audit and do not anticipate it being delayed in submission in future years.

Adjusting Journal Entries, Required Disclosures and Draft Financial Statements Condition and Criteria: During the current year, adjusting journal entries, along with disclosures were drafted by the auditors and accepted by the Authority to properly reflect the financial statements. The inability of the Authority to prepare financial statements with full disclosures is a material weakness in the entity’s internal control over financial reporting. Without this assistance, the Authority is exposed to the potential risk that the financial statements contain a material misstatement that would go undetected. Cause and Effect: AU-C Section 265 entitled Communicating Internal Control Related Matters Identified in an Audit, issued by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) considers the need for significant adjusting journal entries and assistance when preparing the financial statements to be indicative of an internal control deficiency. Without this assistance, the potential exists of the Authority’s financial statements not confirming with the basis of accounting as described in Note 1. Auditor’s Recommendation: Although auditors may continue to provide such assistance both now and, in the future, under the pronouncement, the Authority should continue to review and accept both proposed adjusting journal entries and footnote disclosures, along with the draft financial statements. Authority’s Response: The Authority has received, reviewed and accepted all journal entries, footnote disclosures and draft financial statements proposed for the current year audit and will continue to review similar information in future years. Further, the Authority believes it has a thorough understanding of these financial statements and the ability to make informed judgments based on these financial statements. Lastly, the Authority considers such assistance provided by the auditors to be the most cost-effective manner to prepare such information. The Authority will also ensure that in the future all transactions will be properly reflected in the accounting software.

Segregation of Duties Condition and criteria: During our audit of the Authority’s Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Awards, we noted that the Authority does not have adequate segregation of duties in place. Specifically, the same individual is responsible for initiating and recording journal entries and disbursements and reconciling the bank accounts. In accordance with 2 CFR § 200.303(a), the non-Federal entity must establish and maintain effective internal control over the Federal award that provides reasonable assurance that the non-Federal entity is managing the Federal award in compliance with Federal statutes, regulations, and the terms and conditions of the Federal award. Cause and Effect: The Authority is a small entity with limited administrative and accounting staff, which makes it difficult to achieve a complete segregation of duties. Due to resource constraints, individual staff members are assigned multiple roles that overlap key financial processes. Without proper segregation of duties, there is an increased risk that errors or irregularities, including potential misappropriation of assets or fraud, could occur and remain undetected. This condition could lead to noncompliance with applicable federal requirements and inaccuracies in financial reporting. Auditor’s Recommendations: We recommend that the Authority assess the current structure and implement compensating controls where full segregation of duties is not feasible due to staffing limitations. These may include enhanced supervisory review, periodic oversight by the board or executive leadership, documentation of independent reviews, and rotation of duties when possible. Authority’s Response: The board reviews the reports monthly. A printed payroll report and checks written from meeting to meeting are provided and are approved and initialed. Also provided is a report of the bank statements for the board to review what has been received and what has been paid. Before any bills are paid they are approved at the meeting. If an error is made when inputting a deposit received into C/A, the correction is printed and initialed approving the correction.

Untimely Single Audit Filing Condition and criteria: The Authority did not submit their Single Audit Report for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2024 within nine months of the fiscal year end, as required by the Uniform Guidance (2 CFR § 200.512), resulting in a delinquent submission. Cause and Effect: There were inadequate internal controls in place regarding the audit process to ensure that timely submissions of the Single Audit report would be met. The delinquency may lead to the suspension or termination of federal funding, as well as potential penalties or corrective actions from the funding agency. Auditor’s Recommendations: The Authority should establish a system to closely monitor Single Audit deadlines, designate clear responsibilities for the audit process, and proactively communicate with the auditor to ensure timely completion and submission of the report. Authority’s Response: Eldred Borough Water Authority was unable to contract a CPA to perform the single audit. The Authority has since contracted with a CPA firm to perform the single audit and do not anticipate it being delayed in submission in future years.