Audit 49697

FY End
2022-06-30
Total Expended
$8.87M
Findings
4
Programs
11
Organization: Municipality of Las Piedras (PR)
Year: 2022 Accepted: 2023-08-29

Organization Exclusion Status:

Checking exclusion status...

Contacts

Name Title Type
JJ1NM1J2LJC5 Omayra Agosto Auditee
7877332160 Carlos E Benitez Auditor
No contacts on file

Notes to SEFA

Accounting Policies: 1.GeneralThe accompanying Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Awards (Schedule) includes the federal grant activity of the Municipality of Las Piedras of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and is presented on the accrual basis of accounting. The Municipality of Las Piedras reporting entity is defined in Note 1 to the Municipalitys general purpose financial statements. 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 the Municipality of Las Piedras, it is not intended to and does not present the financial position, changes in net assets, or cash flows of the Municipality of Las Piedras.2.Summary of Significant Accounting PoliciesExpenditures reported on the Schedule are reported on the accrual basis of accounting. Such expenditures are recognized following the cost principles contained in the Uniform Guidance, wherein certain types of expenditures are not allowed or are limited as to reimbursement. The Municipality of Las Piedras has elected not to use the 10 percent de minimis indirect cost rate allowed under the Uniform Guidance.3.Federal Loan On September 17, 2018 the Municipality of Las Piedras was approved by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to receive loan of $4,352,887 through the Community Disaster Loan Program. On September 30, 2021 the outstanding loan balance was cancelled thru The Extended Government Funding and Delivery Emergency Assistance Act which cancelled repayments of the remaining balances of all Community Disaster Loans as of September 30, 2021. The outstanding balance at June 30, 2022 is zero. The accompanying Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Awards includes expenditures amounting to $347,855 related to this loan.4.Relationship to General Purpose Financial StatementsExpenditures of the federal awards as reported in the Statement of Revenues, Expenditures and Changes in Fund Balances-Governmental Funds, are included within the Major Governmental Funds and Nonmajor Governmental Funds. The reconciliation between the expenditures in the basic financial statements and expenditures in the Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Awards is as follows: De Minimis Rate Used: N Rate Explanation: The auditee did not use the de minimis cost rate.

Finding Details

Program Findings/Noncompliance Recommendations Questioned Cost Section 8 Voucher 2022-006 FINANCIAL REPORTING NONE ALN 14.871 CONDITION: On our review of the Financial Assessment Sub-system (FASS-PH), the Municipality has not submitted the GAAP- based unaudited financial information electronically to HUD for fiscal 2022. This condition, if not corrected, may increase the risk of avoidable instances of material non-compliances with the laws and regulations applicable to the Program. This condition is a repeated finding. CRITERIA: According to 24 CFR 902.33 ?Financial Reporting Requirements?, the PHA must submit an unaudited Financial Data Schedule no later than 2 months after the PHA?s fiscal year ends. PHAs are required to submit their financial information through the FASS-PH system. CAUSE AND EFFECT: This condition occurred because the Project Administrator has not adopted adequate internal controls and procedures designed to ensure the timely submission of program reports and the lack of adequate training and supervision of the municipal employees in charge of the preparation of the aforementioned reports. RECOMMENDATION: The Project Administrator should improve existing procedures to ensure the timely submission of the financial reports in order to comply with Federal regulation. Also, the Project Administrator should consider implementing a reporting calendar to maintain all personnel aware of the reporting deadlines of each federal financial report. This will provide an additional tool to help the Municipality in complying with the federal regulation.
Coronavirus Relief Funds ALN 21.019 2022-007 EQUIPMENT AND REAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT Statement of Condition: The Municipality has not complied with the property management requirements. There were no physical inventories performed during the fiscal year ended June 30, 2022. During the fiscal year ended June 30, 2022, Coronavirus Relief Fund acquired equipment amounting to $399,890. NONE The Municipality of Las Piedras does not have a subsidiary ledger of equipment acquired with federal funds, however, such subsidiary ledger shall comply with federal requirements because it should: (1) have information needed to calculate the federal share of the cost of the equipment, (2) identify the grant under which the program acquired the equipment, (3) have information about the location, use and condition of the equipment and the date the information was obtained, and (4) have all pertinent information on the ultimate transfer, replacement, or disposal of the equipment. Furthermore, there is no evidence that the total amount of capital expenditures and the composition of capital assets incurred with federal funds have been reconciled with the general ledger or other control account to enhance the controls to prevent unauthorized disposition of assets. Criteria: CFR 200 ?200.313 established that the Municipality should take the physical inventory and reconcile the results with the property records. In addition, Section (d) (3) establishes that a control system must be developed to ensure adequate safeguards to prevent loss, damage, or theft of the property. Federal regulations also require that, every two years, at a minimum, a physical inventory shall be conducted and the results shall be reconciled with property records to verify the existence, current utilization, and continued need for the equipment. Any discrepancies between quantities determined by the physical inspection with those shown in the accounting records shall be investigated to determine the causes of the differences. Property records shall be accurate. Property records shall include the following for each item: ? A description of the equipment including manufacturer?s serial numbers. ? Identification number, as the manufacturer?s serial numbers. ? Identification of the grant under which the recipient acquired the equipment. ? The information needed to calculate the federal share of the cost of the equipment. ? Acquisition date and unit acquisition cost. ? Location, use and condition of the equipment and the date the information was obtained. ? All pertinent information on the ultimate transfer, replacement or disposal of the equipment. Cause and Effect: These instances of non-compliance occurred because the Property Division of the Municipality has not enforced the requirement to perform a capital assets inventory and to ensure the proper accountability of capital assets during the fiscal year ended June 30, 2022. Accordingly, the Municipality?s internal controls in place over capital assets are not designed to effectively account for capital assets, since it do not allow for the reconciliation of detailed property records with the general ledger. These inadequate property internal controls may expose the Municipality to questioned or disallowed costs by the federal government for lost or stolen property. This condition represents a material weakness in the Municipality?s internal controls over financial reporting. Furthermore, this situation represents a significant risk of loss of capital assets because there is a lack of accountability for acquired capital assets. Any federally funded capital assets lost would need to be repaid to the federal government with municipal funds. Recommendation: A physical inventory of the Federal Programs capital assets should be taken as soon as possible. Physical inventory amounts should be reconciled with the property recorded on the subsidiary ledgers. This information should be reconciled with the monthly disbursements made against the budgetary accounts used for property acquisitions. Dispositions must also be made only upon approval of the Municipal Property Administrator and the Finance Director.
Program Findings/Noncompliance Recommendations Questioned Cost Section 8 Voucher 2022-006 FINANCIAL REPORTING NONE ALN 14.871 CONDITION: On our review of the Financial Assessment Sub-system (FASS-PH), the Municipality has not submitted the GAAP- based unaudited financial information electronically to HUD for fiscal 2022. This condition, if not corrected, may increase the risk of avoidable instances of material non-compliances with the laws and regulations applicable to the Program. This condition is a repeated finding. CRITERIA: According to 24 CFR 902.33 ?Financial Reporting Requirements?, the PHA must submit an unaudited Financial Data Schedule no later than 2 months after the PHA?s fiscal year ends. PHAs are required to submit their financial information through the FASS-PH system. CAUSE AND EFFECT: This condition occurred because the Project Administrator has not adopted adequate internal controls and procedures designed to ensure the timely submission of program reports and the lack of adequate training and supervision of the municipal employees in charge of the preparation of the aforementioned reports. RECOMMENDATION: The Project Administrator should improve existing procedures to ensure the timely submission of the financial reports in order to comply with Federal regulation. Also, the Project Administrator should consider implementing a reporting calendar to maintain all personnel aware of the reporting deadlines of each federal financial report. This will provide an additional tool to help the Municipality in complying with the federal regulation.
Coronavirus Relief Funds ALN 21.019 2022-007 EQUIPMENT AND REAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT Statement of Condition: The Municipality has not complied with the property management requirements. There were no physical inventories performed during the fiscal year ended June 30, 2022. During the fiscal year ended June 30, 2022, Coronavirus Relief Fund acquired equipment amounting to $399,890. NONE The Municipality of Las Piedras does not have a subsidiary ledger of equipment acquired with federal funds, however, such subsidiary ledger shall comply with federal requirements because it should: (1) have information needed to calculate the federal share of the cost of the equipment, (2) identify the grant under which the program acquired the equipment, (3) have information about the location, use and condition of the equipment and the date the information was obtained, and (4) have all pertinent information on the ultimate transfer, replacement, or disposal of the equipment. Furthermore, there is no evidence that the total amount of capital expenditures and the composition of capital assets incurred with federal funds have been reconciled with the general ledger or other control account to enhance the controls to prevent unauthorized disposition of assets. Criteria: CFR 200 ?200.313 established that the Municipality should take the physical inventory and reconcile the results with the property records. In addition, Section (d) (3) establishes that a control system must be developed to ensure adequate safeguards to prevent loss, damage, or theft of the property. Federal regulations also require that, every two years, at a minimum, a physical inventory shall be conducted and the results shall be reconciled with property records to verify the existence, current utilization, and continued need for the equipment. Any discrepancies between quantities determined by the physical inspection with those shown in the accounting records shall be investigated to determine the causes of the differences. Property records shall be accurate. Property records shall include the following for each item: ? A description of the equipment including manufacturer?s serial numbers. ? Identification number, as the manufacturer?s serial numbers. ? Identification of the grant under which the recipient acquired the equipment. ? The information needed to calculate the federal share of the cost of the equipment. ? Acquisition date and unit acquisition cost. ? Location, use and condition of the equipment and the date the information was obtained. ? All pertinent information on the ultimate transfer, replacement or disposal of the equipment. Cause and Effect: These instances of non-compliance occurred because the Property Division of the Municipality has not enforced the requirement to perform a capital assets inventory and to ensure the proper accountability of capital assets during the fiscal year ended June 30, 2022. Accordingly, the Municipality?s internal controls in place over capital assets are not designed to effectively account for capital assets, since it do not allow for the reconciliation of detailed property records with the general ledger. These inadequate property internal controls may expose the Municipality to questioned or disallowed costs by the federal government for lost or stolen property. This condition represents a material weakness in the Municipality?s internal controls over financial reporting. Furthermore, this situation represents a significant risk of loss of capital assets because there is a lack of accountability for acquired capital assets. Any federally funded capital assets lost would need to be repaid to the federal government with municipal funds. Recommendation: A physical inventory of the Federal Programs capital assets should be taken as soon as possible. Physical inventory amounts should be reconciled with the property recorded on the subsidiary ledgers. This information should be reconciled with the monthly disbursements made against the budgetary accounts used for property acquisitions. Dispositions must also be made only upon approval of the Municipal Property Administrator and the Finance Director.