FINDING 2022-004 Subject: Child Nutrition Cluster ? Activities Allowed or Unallowed, Allowable Costs/Cost Principles Federal Agency: Department of Agriculture Federal Program: School Breakfast Program, National School Lunch Program, After School Snack Program, Summer Food Service Program for Childr...
FINDING 2022-004 Subject: Child Nutrition Cluster ? Activities Allowed or Unallowed, Allowable Costs/Cost Principles Federal Agency: Department of Agriculture Federal Program: School Breakfast Program, National School Lunch Program, After School Snack Program, Summer Food Service Program for Children Assistance Listing Number: 10.553, 10.555, 10.559 Federal Award Numbers and Years (or Other Identifying Numbers): FY2021, FY2022 Pass-Through Entity: Indiana Department of Education Compliance Requirement: Activities Allowed or Unallowed, Allowable Costs/Cost Principles Audit Findings: Material Weakness Condition: An effective internal control system was not in place at the School Corporation to ensure compliance with the requirements related to the grant agreement and the Activities Allowed or Unallowed and Allowable Costs/Cost Principles compliance requirements. Context: The School Corporation had not designed or implemented adequate internal controls to ensure that payroll disbursements were only for food service-related services. Payroll disbursements comprise approximately 45% of the program costs charged to the Child Nutrition Cluster. One employee was responsible for processing payroll. Payroll reports were submitted to the School Board and Treasurer for review and approval; however, the reports only provided a total gross amount paid from each fund. The reports did not list the employees who were paid from the fund. In March 2021, the Treasurer implemented a review of the payroll distribution report, which is broken out by fund and individual employee. The lack of controls related to payroll disbursements was isolated to the 2020-21 year. Additionally, payroll disbursements for custodial employees were allocated to the Child Nutrition Cluster based on a percentage of the custodial employees? salaries. However, there were no time and effort logs or other documentation maintained to support the percentage of the custodial salaries allocated to the Child Nutrition Cluster. The custodial salaries make up approximately 3% of the total payroll disbursements charged to the Child Nutrition Cluster. This was an issue throughout the audit period. Views of Responsible Officials and Planned Corrective Actions: We concur with the finding. Description of Corrective Action Plan: The NJ-SP School Corporation will implement internal controls to ensure compliance with the activities allowed or unallowed and allowable costs/cost principles compliance requirements. This will consist of maintaining documentation to support that payroll disbursements are only for food service operating costs by having supporting timesheets and timecards or time and effort reports for all employees paid from the School lunch fund. These controls will be implemented by July 1, 2023. Responsible Party and Timeline for Completion: Dalton C. Tunis ? Corporation Business Manager/Treasurer Anticipated Completion Date: July 1, 2023