Corrective Action Plans

DEPARTMENT OF TREASURY, CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION, AND DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES 2022-003 Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (CSLFRF) ? Assistance Listing No. 21.027 Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity for Infectious Diseases (ELC) ? Assistance Listing No. 93.323 Child Support Enforcement ? Assistance Listing No. 93.563 Recommendation: We recommend the County establish written procedures for determining the allowability of costs to include a written policy regarding the charging of personnel costs to grants. Explanation of disagreement with audit finding: There is no disagreement with the audit finding. Action planned in response to finding: The County is currently in the process of drafting and establishing written procedures for county-wide and department specific use when determining the allowability of costs when charging personnel costs to federal awards. A primary function of this policy will be to provide guidance to county staff to ensure personnel costs are recognized in accordance with cost principles, statues, regulations, and terms and conditions of federal awards. Name(s) of the contact person(s) responsible for corrective action: Andrew Copeland Planned completion date for corrective action plan: June 30, 2024

FA 2022-001 Improve Controls over Federal Expenditures Compliance Requirement: Activities Allowed or Unallowed Allowable Costs/Cost Principles Procurement and Suspension and Debarment Internal Control Impact: Significant Deficiency Compliance Impact: Nonmaterial Noncompliance Federal Awarding Agency: U.S. Department of Education Pass-Through Entity: Georgia Department of Education Assistance Listing Number and Title: COVID-19 - 84.4250 - Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund COVID-19 - 84.425U - American Rescue Plan Elementary And Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund Federal Award Number: S425D200012 (Year: 2020), S425D210012 (Year: 2021) S45U210012 (Year: 2021) Questioned Costs: $221,797 Repeat of Prior Year Finding: None Description: The policies and procedures of the School District were insufficient to provide adequate internal controls over expenditures as it relates to the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund program. Corrective Action Plans: The School District will review all contracts to ensure all payments to contractors are not in excess of the contracted amount. In addition, the policies and procedures for haling all funds, including ESSER, will be reviewed to ensure internal controls are in place and all compliance requirements are met. The Finance Director will participate in processional development to better understand how to calculate and report indirect cost. Estimated Completion Date: June 30, 2023 Contact Person: Mary Beth Gordon Telephone: 912-545-2367 Email: bgordon@longcountyschools.org

Views of Responsible Officials and Planned Corrective Actions: Anita Moreau has implemented policies to ensure all costs are properly authorized and approved by TDA. Anita Moreau has repaid the $20,228 on December 28, 2022. On February 3, 2023, TDA reviewed the Corrective Action Plan provided by Anita Moreau and has concluded its review.

FA 2022-001 Improve Controls over Federal Expenditures Compliance Requirement: Activities Allowed or Unallowed Allowable Costs/Cost Principles Procurement and Suspension and Debarment Internal Control Impact: Significant Deficiency Compliance Impact: Nonmaterial Noncompliance Federal Awarding Agency: U.S. Department of Education Pass-Through Entity: Georgia Department of Education Assistance Listing Number and Title: COVID-19 - 84.425D - Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund Federal Award Number: S425D200012 (Year: 2020) Questioned Costs: $129,375.00 Repeat of Prior Year Finding: None Description: The policies and procedures of the School District were insufficient to provide adequate internal controls over expenditures as it relates to the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund program. Corrective Action Plans: The Whitfield County School District does not concur with the finding; therefore, no corrective action is necessary. Estimated Completion Date: The expense was approved and paid in the fiscal year 2022. Contact Person: Kelly Coon Telephone: 706-217-6704 Email: Kelly.coon@wcsga.net

FA 2022-001 Improve Controls over Expenditures Compliance Requirement: Activities Allowed or Unallowed Allowable Costs/Cost Principle Procurement and Suspension and Debarment Internal Control Impact: Significant Deficiency Compliance Impact: Nonmaterial Noncompliance Federal Awarding Agency: U.S. Department of Education Pass-Through Entity: Georgia Department of Education Assistance Listing Number and Title: COVID-19 - 84.425D - Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund Federal Award Number: S425D210012 (Year: 2021) Questioner Costs: $119,600 Description: The policies and procedures of the School District were insufficient to provide adequate internal controls over expenditures as it relates to the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund program. Corrective Action Plans: The Superintendent and HR Director have contacted the temporary placement vendor (ESS) to obtain an amendment for the additional bonuses that were paid. The new amendment has been received. In addition, an amendment will be obtained for any future payments that are given in addition to the original contracted amount. Estimated Completion Date: Completed May 24, 2023 Contact Person: Tomecka Woody, CFO Telephone: 706-441-0601 (x1007) Email: tomecka.woody@mcssga.org

FINDING 2022-007 Contact Person Responsible for Corrective Action: Kasey Clark Contact Phone Number: 574-772-1604 Views of Responsible Official: We concur with the findings Description of Corrective Action Plan: The time and effort for the stipends was not documented. The time and effort for all stipends will be documented for any stipend. All stipends will be reviewed and approved by the Treasurer. Anticipated Completion Date: March 2023

Compliance requirement ? Allowed Cost /Cost Principle Institutional Comments on Findings and Recommendations: 1. The institution does not concur with the auditor finding because the referenced transaction was below the "Micro-purchase" threshold and does not require a quotation. The FAR increase the "Micro-purchase" threshold for natural disasters and national emergencies, among others. The invoice amount of $5899 was a continuation of an initial project under this contractor which have the unique security passwords, IT protocols and other IT requirements for the uniform implementation of intelligent classrooms for remote distance education. Accordingly, the institution does not request a quote. The institution followed the referenced guidelines in the determining the allowability of costs. Additionally, an external consultant reviewed the transaction and costs prior to request reimbursement. The 2 CFR Part 200, Appendix XI Compliance Supplement guide, issued April 2022, makes referenced to the FAQ's and Other Guidance containing information pertinent to the compliance requirements described in the document and encouraged auditor to regularly check the HERF Websites for updated FAQ's and other pertinent guidance and reporting information. The institution followed those referenced FAQ's and guidelines, among other sound administration practices, in the use of the grants. The referenced Compliance Supplemental, under "Activities Allowed or Unallowed" states: "Institutions must demonstrate that costs incurred are allowable under the relevant statutory provision and consistent with the purpose of the ESF "to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus"". The institution used $5,899 paid to the guidelines as indicated to contractor, to continue enhancing the distance learning program in preventing the spread and contamination of the coronavirus among professors and students by enabling remote distance education. The direct charges for this transaction to the federal award was for allowable costs under the instructions, federal grant and FAQs guidelines as indicated. 2. The institution does not concur with the auditor finding because of what is discussed in No 1 above. In the two cases mentioned, the cost quote may not agree with the invoice, because of some additional services requested, but the amount of the invoice was the correct amount paid and actual cost used to draw the HEERF funds. These invoices were for furniture and partitions divisions, to enable the remote distance education, avoiding physical contact of students and professors, to prevent, prepare for and respond to the COVID-19 emergency. Once again, these incurred and direct charges to the federal award complied with the HEERF objectives and were allowable costs under the authorized uses in the grant award and HEERF guidelines. 3. The institution does not concur with the auditor finding. The referenced three cases may not have a specific or expressed "acknowledgement of receipt" statement, but the acknowledgement was validated by UTC management and with the signatures when the check was issued. Nevertheless, the costs incurred in these invoices were authorized and incompliance with HEERF program and ESF purpose. The direct charges for this transaction to the federal award was for allowable costs under the instructions, federal grant and FAQs guidelines as indicated. 4. Institution does not, firmly, concurs with the auditor finding. This should not even be a finding because the institution strictly followed the FAQs published on March 19, 2021 to calculate the lost revenue and using a comparison between FY-20 and FY 21. That guideline described "Loss of Revenue" as "...those revenues and institution of higher education otherwise expected but were reduced or eliminated as a result of the novel coronavirus 2910 (COVID-2019) pandemic. As such, lost revenues can only be estimated". Nerveless, the result would have been relatively the same if we have use FY21 audited financials. Given the many factors and complexities of the unusual process, the institution followed a conservative approach and reduced those revenue items that have an increase between fiscal year from those with a loss of revenue. Therefore, the institution netted the potential amount of lost revenue to claim. Accordingly, the net amount resulted in $280,929.84. The potential loss of revenue amount could be greater but the institution decided to only claim the referenced estimated amount. These calculations and analysis were further discussed and evaluated by an officer of the Department of Education, with no recommendation on claiming a higher amount because the amount claimed was less than the estimated potential. The guideline indicates: "Reimbursement for lost revenue is allowable for the Institutional Portion program...". The institution claimed this loss of revenue amount from their institutional portion, complying with the HEERF guidelines and the authorized use of the funds. The direct charges for this transaction to the federal award was for allowable costs under the instructions, federal grant and FAQs guidelines as indicated. a. The institution used unaudited figures for FY21 because the audited financial statements were not completed at the time of the calculation. The institution revised the calculations with the audited financial statements, and the results were the same and the claimed estimated amount did not changed. Once again and in accordance with the guidelines, we were estimating the lost revenue with the data available at the moment. b. The institution followed the recommended HEERF guidelines for this complex and novel exercise. The institution considered under the analysis; those revenues otherwise expected but that were reduced as a result of the novel COVID-2019. The contributions as "Support Revenue" from related entities, which were a significant source of revenue for the institution, was not claimed as loss of revenue. The institution specifically claimed those lost revenue items as authorized in the guidelines. Therefore, once again, the UTC was in compliant with the lost revenue referenced guidelines. The direct charges for this transaction to the federal award was for allowable costs under the instructions, federal grant and FAQs guidelines as indicated. c. As explained above, the institution followed a conservative approach and only claimed a net amount of all lost revenue items. The institution only claimed those estimated revenue items, as authorized in the guideline, that suffer a loss between the two fiscal years considered in the evaluation. This was further evaluated by an officer of the DOE. As the guidelines described, since the lost revenues can only be estimated, the institution correctly, analyzed and calculated the best conservative/reasonable estimate of loss revenue with the available data at the moment. Even if we used the auditors' recommended items, the results would have been the same and no revenue item was claim out of the authorized or allowable costs from the guidelines. The direct charges for this transaction to the federal award was for allowable costs under the instructions, federal grant and FAQs guidelines as indicated. Actions Taken or Planned: The institution understands that the incurred and direct charges to the federal award complied with the HEERF objectives and were allowable costs under the authorized uses in the grant award and HEERF guidelines and no further was required.

View of Responsible Official Management agrees with the auditor?s recommendation and will strengthen procedures on the preparation and review of ROE and the SEFA to ensure the correct amount of expenditures allowable for reimbursement are reported. Management will confirm agreement between the quarterly ROE and the general ledger at that time prior to submitting for reimbursement. Further, management is correcting the reimbursement report for the quarter ending March 31, 2023, to account for the $409,485 of questioned costs.

FINDING 2022-003 Contact Person Responsible for Corrective Action: Sharon Fowler Contact Phone Number: (765) 358-4006 Views of Responsible Official: The Superintendent and Corporation Treasurer felt that expenses of $15,787.31 were justifiable due to the lack of fund raiser dollars for prom because of COVID. Part of that expense amount was for Esports Club chairs. These chairs are used for Esports only after school, and used during the day in regular classrooms. As for the Freshman Class Sponsor, Assistant Wrestling Coach, and Elementary Talen Show Sponsor, these contracts were paid from ESSER. The ECA positions were inadvertently added to teachers? contracts, as usual, and not taken out of the Education Fund. Description of Corrective Action Plan: Beginning with the 2022-23 fiscal year, we will be more careful with what we spend from ESSER Funds. Anticipated Completion Date: July 2023

FA2O22-001 Improve/Strengthen Controls over Expenditures Compliance Requirement: Activities Allowed or Unallowed Allowable Costs/Cost Principles Procurement and Suspension and Debarment Internal Control Impact: Significant Deficiency Compliance Impact: Nonmaterial Noncompliance Federal Awarding Agency: U.S. Department of Education Pass-Through Entity: Georgia Department of Education Assistance Listing Number and Title: COVID-19 - 84.4250 - Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund COVID-19 - 84.425U - American Rescue Plan Elementary And Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund Federal Award Number: 5425D2000L2 (Year: 2020), 5425U2L0072 (Year: 202L) Questioned Costs: $61,000.00 Repeat of Prior Year Finding: None Description: The policies and procedures of the School District were insufficient to provide adequate internal controls over expenditures as it relates to the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund program. Corrective Action Plans: We concur with this finding. The process used to pay retention pay to staff has been reviewed and will only be a paid to staff employed by the Atkinson County Board of Education. Estimated Completion Date: 3/13/2023 Contact Person: Lessie Youngblood Telephone: 912- 422-7878 Email: lyoungblood@atkinson.k12. ga.us

Management and accounting personnel will create procedures to ensure that direct cost is charged at the actual amounts incurred and will develop a payroll cost allocation and allocable direct cost allocation methodology that ensures costs are charged in compliance with the applicable federal costs principles.