FINDING 2022-005 Subject: COVID-19 ? Education Stabilization Fund ? Activities Allowed or Unallowed, Allowable Costs/Cost Principles Federal Agency: Department of Education Federal Program: COVID-19 ? Education Stabilization Fund Assistance Listing Number: 84.425D, 84.425U Federal Award Numbers and...
FINDING 2022-005 Subject: COVID-19 ? Education Stabilization Fund ? Activities Allowed or Unallowed, Allowable Costs/Cost Principles Federal Agency: Department of Education Federal Program: COVID-19 ? Education Stabilization Fund Assistance Listing Number: 84.425D, 84.425U Federal Award Numbers and Years (or Other Identifying Numbers): S425D200013, S425U200013 Pass-Through Entity: Indiana Department of Education Compliance Requirement: Activities Allowed or Unallowed, Allowable Costs/Cost Principles Audit Findings: Material Weakness, Material Noncompliance 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: (a) During allowable cost testing for vendor disbursements, we noted a portion of ARP ESSER funds were utilized to repair the chiller at the middle and high schools. The School Corporation incurred a total of approximately $284,000 in chiller repair costs between September 2021 and May 2022 and requested reimbursement for those expenditures from ARP ESSER funds in full. In October 2021, the School Corporation received an insurance claim check in the amount of $106,755 to cover a portion of the repair costs. The School Corporation did not deduct the amount received through insurance from the amount requested for reimbursement from federal funds, resulting in an overpayment of federal funds during the audit period. (b) Additionally, the School Corporation had not properly designed or implemented internal controls over recording transactions for payroll and fringe benefit disbursements to ensure the accuracy and classification of the payroll disbursements. Payroll disbursements make up approximately 45% of the program costs charged to the Education Stabilization Fund. 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 2020-2021 year. 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 a system is established for when insurance claim checks are received that they are properly receipted and funds are accounted for and deducted from necessary reimbursement grants. This will give better proper oversight, reviews, and approvals over the insurance claim checks received. These controls will be implemented by July 1, 2023. The NJ-SP School Corporation will also implement internal controls to oversee that financial transactions related to receipts and payroll and fringe benefits disbursements are reviewed and verified by proper management to ensure that accuracy and documentation is in place. These controls were implemented on March, 2021. Responsible Party and Timeline for Completion: Dalton C. Tunis ? Corporation Business Manager/Treasurer Anticipated Completion Date for (b): March 2021 Anticipated Completion Date for (a): July 1, 2023