Audit 40615

FY End
2022-06-30
Total Expended
$866,275
Findings
2
Programs
8
Organization: Lincoln County, Nebraska (NE)
Year: 2022 Accepted: 2023-01-22

Organization Exclusion Status:

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Findings

ID Ref Severity Repeat Requirement
46073 2022-002 Significant Deficiency - L
622515 2022-002 Significant Deficiency - L

Programs

ALN Program Spent Major Findings
93.563 Child Support Enforcement $326,297 Yes 0
97.067 Homeland Security Grant Program $165,937 - 0
21.027 Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds $128,855 Yes 1
16.575 Crime Victim Assistance $63,013 - 0
16.034 Coronavirus Emergency Supplemental Funding Program $49,740 - 0
20.616 National Priority Safety Programs $40,747 - 0
97.042 Emergency Management Performance Grants $12,076 - 0
20.600 State and Community Highway Safety $11,998 - 0

Contacts

Name Title Type
LAC9VJEC61B4 Becky Rossell Auditee
3085344350 Jeff Schreier Auditor
No contacts on file

Notes to SEFA

Title: Basis of Presentation Accounting Policies: Expenditures reported on the Schedule are reported on the cash basis of accounting. Such expenditures are recognized following the cost principles contained in the Uniform Guidance, wherein certain types of expenditures are not allowable or are limited as to reimbursement. Negative amounts shown on the Schedule represent adjustments or credits made in the normal course of business to amounts reported as expenditures in prior years. Lincoln County has elected not to use the 10 percent de minimis indirect cost rate allowed under the Uniform Guidance. De Minimis Rate Used: N Rate Explanation: The auditee did not use the de minimis cost rate. The accompanying schedule of expenditures of Federal awards (Schedule) includes the Federal award activity of Lincoln County (County) under programs of the Federal government for the year ended June 30, 2022. The information in this Schedule is presented in accordance with the requirements of Title 2 U.S. Code of Federal Regulations Part 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (Uniform Guidance). Because the Schedule presents only a selected portion of the operations of Lincoln County, it is not intended to and does not present the financial position or changes in net assets of the County. The Countys reporting entity is defined in Note 1.A. to the Countys financial statements. Federal awards received directly from Federal agencies, as well as those passed through other government agencies, are included in the Schedule. Unless otherwise noted on the Schedule, all programs are received directly from the respective Federal agency.

Finding Details

Finding # 2022-002 Program - AL #21.027 ? COVID-19 Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds - Reporting Grant Number & Year - SLFRP2949, FFY 2021 Federal Grantor Agency - U.S. Department of the Treasury Criteria - Title 2 of the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) ? 200.303 (January 1, 2022) states the following, in relevant part: The non-Federal entity must: (a) 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. These internal controls should be in compliance with guidance in ``Standards for Internal Control in the Federal Government?? issued by the Comptroller General of the United States or the ``Internal Control Integrated Framework??, issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO). The U.S. Department of the Treasury adopted the Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards in 2 CFR ? 1000.10 (January 1, 2022), which states the following: Except for the deviations set forth elsewhere in this Part, the Department of the Treasury adopts the Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards, set forth at 2 CFR part 200. The U.S. Department of the Treasury issued ?Compliance and Reporting Guidance? and frequently asked questions, which specify the reporting requirements related to Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds. Such guidance required the completion of a Project and Expenditure Report by April 30, 2022. A good internal control plan includes establishing effective internal controls through written policies and procedures to ensure Federal reporting requirements are completed accurately. Such plan should include, among other things, appropriate training on Federal reporting requirements and require a documented, detailed review of each report to be completed by a knowledgeable individual, who did not prepare the report, prior to submission. Condition - Lincoln County did not implement effective internal controls to ensure that the reporting requirements of the Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds were completed accurately. Consequently, the Project and Expenditure report submitted on April 29, 2022, did not contain accurate information. Repeat Finding - No Questioned Costs - None Statistical Sample - No Context - Lincoln County improperly reported Total Cumulative Expenditures and Total Cumulative Obligations as $6,781,635; however, the correct Total Cumulative Expenditures and Total Cumulative Obligations were $88,754. Additionally, all expenditures were reported under one project, using the project expenditure category of revenue replacement and project expenditure subcategory as provision of government services. Based on the expenditures made by Lincoln County, it appears more appropriate for the County to have reported two projects. The first project provided $83,351 to local non-profit organizations to support their food pantry operations. As such, it appears a project category of negative economic impacts and a project subcategory of aid to nonprofit organizations would be more appropriate. The second project included administrative expenses totaling $5,403. As such, it appears a project category of Administrative and project subcategory of Administrative Expenses would be more appropriate. Cause - Lack of procedures and knowledge relating to Federal reporting requirements Effect - Inaccurate information was reported to the U.S. Department of the Treasury on the April 2022 Project and Expenditure report. Additionally, the County is not in compliance with the reporting requirements set by the U.S Department of the Treasury. Recommendation - We recommend Lincoln County establish written policies and procedures to ensure Federal reporting requirements are completed accurately. Such procedures should include, among other things, appropriate training on Federal reporting requirements and a documented review by a knowledgeable individual who was not involved in the preparation of the report. View of Officials - The Lincoln County Board of Commissioners will discuss establishing a policy for reporting requirements. They will also discuss who will file reports for the county going forward and perhaps someone to review the document before submission who is not involved in the preparation of the report.
Finding # 2022-002 Program - AL #21.027 ? COVID-19 Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds - Reporting Grant Number & Year - SLFRP2949, FFY 2021 Federal Grantor Agency - U.S. Department of the Treasury Criteria - Title 2 of the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) ? 200.303 (January 1, 2022) states the following, in relevant part: The non-Federal entity must: (a) 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. These internal controls should be in compliance with guidance in ``Standards for Internal Control in the Federal Government?? issued by the Comptroller General of the United States or the ``Internal Control Integrated Framework??, issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO). The U.S. Department of the Treasury adopted the Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards in 2 CFR ? 1000.10 (January 1, 2022), which states the following: Except for the deviations set forth elsewhere in this Part, the Department of the Treasury adopts the Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards, set forth at 2 CFR part 200. The U.S. Department of the Treasury issued ?Compliance and Reporting Guidance? and frequently asked questions, which specify the reporting requirements related to Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds. Such guidance required the completion of a Project and Expenditure Report by April 30, 2022. A good internal control plan includes establishing effective internal controls through written policies and procedures to ensure Federal reporting requirements are completed accurately. Such plan should include, among other things, appropriate training on Federal reporting requirements and require a documented, detailed review of each report to be completed by a knowledgeable individual, who did not prepare the report, prior to submission. Condition - Lincoln County did not implement effective internal controls to ensure that the reporting requirements of the Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds were completed accurately. Consequently, the Project and Expenditure report submitted on April 29, 2022, did not contain accurate information. Repeat Finding - No Questioned Costs - None Statistical Sample - No Context - Lincoln County improperly reported Total Cumulative Expenditures and Total Cumulative Obligations as $6,781,635; however, the correct Total Cumulative Expenditures and Total Cumulative Obligations were $88,754. Additionally, all expenditures were reported under one project, using the project expenditure category of revenue replacement and project expenditure subcategory as provision of government services. Based on the expenditures made by Lincoln County, it appears more appropriate for the County to have reported two projects. The first project provided $83,351 to local non-profit organizations to support their food pantry operations. As such, it appears a project category of negative economic impacts and a project subcategory of aid to nonprofit organizations would be more appropriate. The second project included administrative expenses totaling $5,403. As such, it appears a project category of Administrative and project subcategory of Administrative Expenses would be more appropriate. Cause - Lack of procedures and knowledge relating to Federal reporting requirements Effect - Inaccurate information was reported to the U.S. Department of the Treasury on the April 2022 Project and Expenditure report. Additionally, the County is not in compliance with the reporting requirements set by the U.S Department of the Treasury. Recommendation - We recommend Lincoln County establish written policies and procedures to ensure Federal reporting requirements are completed accurately. Such procedures should include, among other things, appropriate training on Federal reporting requirements and a documented review by a knowledgeable individual who was not involved in the preparation of the report. View of Officials - The Lincoln County Board of Commissioners will discuss establishing a policy for reporting requirements. They will also discuss who will file reports for the county going forward and perhaps someone to review the document before submission who is not involved in the preparation of the report.