Audit 389118

FY End
2025-06-30
Total Expended
$40.23M
Findings
1
Programs
23
Year: 2025 Accepted: 2026-02-25

Organization Exclusion Status:

Checking exclusion status...

Findings

ID Ref Severity Repeat Requirement
1175410 2025-003 Material Weakness Yes I

Programs

Contacts

Name Title Type
FUEJKBN9UWF6 Anthony N. Dragona Auditee
2013485677 Mauricio Canto Auditor
No contacts on file

Notes to SEFA

The basic financial statements present the General Fund and Special Revenue Fund on a GAAP basis. Budgetary comparison statements or schedules (RSI) are presented for the General Fund and Special Revenue Fund to demonstrate finance-related legal compliance in which certain revenue is permitted by law or grant agreement to be recognized in the audit year, whereas for GAAP reporting, revenue is not recognized until the subsequent year or when expenditures have been made. The General Fund is presented in the accompanying schedules on the modified accrual basis with the exception of the revenue recognition of the last state aid payment in the current budget year, which is mandated pursuant to N.J.S.A. 18A:22-44.2. For GAAP purposes that payment is not recognized until the subsequent budget year due to the state deferral and recording of the last state aid payment in the subsequent year. The Special Revenue Fund is presented in the accompanying schedules on the grant accounting budgetary basis which recognizes encumbrances as expenditures and also recognizes the related revenues, whereas the GAAP basis does not. The Special Revenue Fund also recognizes the last State aid payment in the current budget year, consistent with N.J.S.A. 18A:22-44.2. The net adjustment to reconcile from the budgetary basis to the GAAP basis is ($1,499,026) for the General Fund and ($570,861) for the Special Revenue Fund. See Note 1 (the Notes to Required Supplementary Information) for a reconciliation of the budgetary basis to the modified accrual basis of accounting for the General and Special Revenue Funds. Awards and financial assistance revenues are reported in the District’s basic financial statements on a GAAP basis as follows:
Amounts reported in the accompanying schedules agree with the amounts reported in the related federal and state financial reports.
Revenues and expenditures reported under the Food Distribution Program represent current year value received and current year distributions, respectively. The amount of $36,047,496 reported as TPAF Pension Contributions, $13,861 reported as TPAF Long-Term Disability Insurance Premiums, and $10,533,107 reported as TPAF Post-Retirement Medical Contributions represent the amount paid by the State on behalf of the district for the year ended June 30, 2025. TPAF Social Security Contributions in the amount of $8,040,285 represent the amount reimbursed by the State for the employer’s share of Social Security Contributions for TPAF members for the year ended June 30, 2025. SDA Educational Facilities Construction and Financing Act on-behalf payments totaling $39,482,030 represent amounts paid by the SDA on behalf of the District for SDA administered facility for the year ended June 30, 2025.
On-behalf expenditures for the District by the State or City of Union City are not subject to a State single audit and, therefore, are excluded from major program determination. The Schedule of State Financial Assistance provides a reconciliation of State financial assistance reported in the District’s basic financial statements and the amount subject to the State single audit and major program determination.
Schoolwide programs are not separate Federal programs as defined in Uniform Guidance; amounts used in schoolwide programs are included in the total expenditures of the program contributing the funds in the Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Awards. The following fund by program is included in schoolwide programs in the District:

Finding Details

Condition: Management of the District did not formally document or record the procurement and purchase of electric school buses with Clean School Bus Program grant to evidence compliance with procurement and reporting requirements of grant. The District did not formally accept and authorize with a resolution of the board of education: 1) a subrecipient grant agreement for Clean School Bus Program grant with Van-Con, Inc., a for profit entity; nor 2) the procurement, contract award, and purchase of electric school buses from Van-Con, Inc. using such Clean School Program grant funds. Criteria: Contracts in excess of bid thresholds pursuant to (N.J.S.A. 18A:l8A-2 and 18A:18A-3(a) are required to be advertised for bids in accordance with the provision of Public School Contracts Law (N.J.S.A. 18A:18A-4). The Uniform Guidance, requires grant recipients use their own documented procurement procedures, which reflect state and local laws and regulations, provided that the procurements conform to applicable federal statutes and the procurement requirements identified in 2 CFR Part 200. Context: The District received a payment of $2,859,449 from Van-Con, Inc that was subsequently paid to Van-Con, Inc as a reimbursement as described on purchase order and accounting of grant in the District’s financial reporting system. Cause: The District formally approved and authorized Van-Con, Inc. as applicant of Clean School Bus Program grant to include the District on its application as a third party among other third parties. Van Con, Inc. was awarded the Clean School Bus Program grant on September 30, 2024 and accepted with a formal grant agreement. On May 7, 2025, Van Con, Inc. provided the District an invoice stipulating a vehicle purchase contract where the downpayment of 70% is due and payable upon receipt of grant funds from Van-Con, Inc. under Clean School Bus Program. On June 3, 2025, the District received payment of $2,859,449 from Van-Con, Inc. On June 26, 2025, the District paid Van-Con, Inc. the same amount of $2,859,449, as a reimbursement as described on purchase order and accounting of grant in the District’s financial reporting system. After independent audit inquiries, the District provided a grant sub-agreement with Van Con, Inc. dated November 18, 2025. The grant sub-agreement stipulates that the District understands and agrees to comply with federal procurement requirements and how it may procure allowable purchases using available grant funds. The grant sub-agreement is not a purchase agreement with Van-Con, Inc. nor does is stipulate that it must purchase from Van-Con, Inc. No further formal documentation was provided at the time of the audit. Effect: It cannot be determined whether the grant sub-agreement with Van-Con, Inc. is valid without approval and authorization from the board of education. It cannot be determined whether the payment to Van-Con, Inc. was a purchase or reimbursement without formal documentation by management and approval and authorization from the board of education. If the payment to Van-Con, Inc. is determined to be a purchase, compliance with procurement laws and regulations cannot be determined without formal documentation by management and approval and authorization from the board of education. Questioned Costs: None. Recommendation: The District review and either nullify or accept and authorize with a resolution of the board of education: 1) a subrecipient grant agreement for Clean School Bus Program grant with Van-Con, Inc., a for profit entity; and 2) the procurement, contract award, and purchase of electric school buses from Van-Con, Inc. using such Clean School Program grant funds. If a contract is awarded with grant funds, such contract be properly encumbered in the District’s financial reporting system. View of Responsible Official and Planned Corrective Action (Unaudited): The District will review the agreement and transactions with Van-Con, Inc and will take appropriate formal action.