Federal Program 23.002 - Appalachian Area Development 14.228 - Community Development Block Grants/State's Program Award Numbers ARC-20698 ARC-20699 CDBG Subgrant: 1137-21-111-PF-01 Federal Agency U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) Compliance Requirement Equipment and Real Property Management- 2 CFR §200.310-316 Type of Finding Internal Control over Compliance - Material Weakness Compliance - Noncompliance Questioned Costs None Criteria Per 2 CFR §200.310-316 and the 0MB Compliance Supplement, recipients of federal awards must: Maintain detailed property records including description, serial number, acquisition date, cost, location, and condition Conduct a physical inventory at least once every two years and reconcile results Safeguard assets from loss, damage, or theft File a Notice of Federal Interest for real property acquired with federal funds Follow disposition procedures outlined in 2 CFR §200.311-313 Condition The City of Batesville did not conduct a biennial physical inventory of federally funded equipment and real property as required by 2 CFR §200.313(d)(2). Inventory records were incomplete, decentralized, and lacked key data fields such as asset condition and federal funding source. Infrastructure assets funded by CDBG and ARC grants were not classified as real property, and no Notice of Federal Interest was filed. Additionally, the City could not demonstrate that federally funded assets were safeguarded or reconciled against disposals. Cause The City lacked centralized oversight and formal policies for property management. Staff were unaware of federal requirements related to infrastructure classification and inventory procedures. No training or monitoring mechanisms were in place to ensure compliance. Effect The City is at risk of noncompliance with federal property management standards, including failure to conduct biennial inventories and file Notices of Federal Interest for real property. Although the sewer infrastructure funded by CFDA 14.228 and 23.002 is not susceptible to theft or loss due to its fixed nature, the lack of documentation and oversight represents a material weakness in internal control. No questioned costs were identified, as all expenditures were supported and the assets remain in use. Although Assistance Listing 90.201 was not selected for audit, similar deficiencies in property management were observed during preliminary review, suggesting the issue may be systemic across federal programs. Recommendation Implement a centralized inventory system with required data fields Conduct and document biennial physical inventories File Notices of Federal Interest for applicable real property Provide staff training on federal property standards Deveiop written policies for asset classification, inventory, and disposition Establish internal monitoring procedures to ensure ongoing compliance Views of Responsible Officials Management concurs with the finding. The City will implement a centralized inventory system and conduct a physical inventory by March 31, 2026. Training will be provided to relevant staff, and a formal policy will be adopted to ensure compliance with 2 CFR §200.310-316. The City will consult with HUD and ARC regarding the filing of Notices of Federal Interest for infrastructure assets. Management also acknowledges that similar issues were observed in non-audited programs and will extend corrective actions City-wide.
Federal Program Information: Funding Agency: U.S. Department of Agriculture Title: National School Lunch Program FAL Number: 10.555 & 10.553 Passthrough: N/A Award Year: 2024 Criteria: Title 2 Subtitle A Chapter II Part 200 Section 200.405 Allocable Costs (a) Allocable costs in general. A cost is allocable to a Federal award or other cost objective if the cost is assignable to that Federal award or other cost objective in accordance with the relative benefits received. This standard is met if the cost satisfies any of the following criteria: (1) Is incurred specifically for the Federal award; (2) Benefits both the Federal award and other work of the recipient or subrecipient and can be distributed in proportions that may be approximated using reasonable methods; or (3) Is necessary to the overall operation of the recipient or subrecipient and is assignable in part to the Federal award in accordance with these cost principles. (b) Allocation of indirect costs. All activities which benefit from the recipient's or subrecipient's indirect cost, including unallowable activities and donated services by the recipient or subrecipient or third parties, will receive an appropriate allocation of indirect costs. (c) Limitation on charging certain allocable costs to other Federal awards. A cost allocable to a particular Federal award may not be charged to other Federal awards (for example, to overcome fund deficiencies or to avoid restrictions imposed by Federal statutes, regulations, or the terms and conditions of the Federal awards). However, this prohibition would not preclude the recipient or subrecipient from shifting costs that are allowable under two or more Federal awards in accordance with existing Federal statutes, regulations, or the terms and conditions of the Federal awards. (d) Direct cost allocation principles. If a cost benefits two or more projects or activities in proportions that can be determined without undue effort or cost, the cost must be allocated to the projects based on the proportional benefit However, when those proportions cannot be determined because of the interrelationship of the work involved, then, notwithstanding paragraph (c), the costs may be allocated or transferred to benefitted projects on any reasonable documented basis. Where the purchase of equipment or other capital asset is specifically authorized under a Federal award, the costs are assignable to the Federal award regardless of the use that may be made of the equipment or other capital asset involved, when no longer needed for the purpose for which it was originally required. See also §§ 200.310 through 200.316 and 200.439. Condition: During our review of national school lunch payroll, we identified the following issues: The District used school lunch funds to pay the payroll of an employee who was not working in the program. The employee worked in transportation and accounts payable. Questioned Costs: $59,074.56. This is the amount of school lunch program funds which were paid to the employee. We did not identify any other employees who were not legitimate employees of the school lunch program. Cause: The District did not ensure the funds expended were related to the national school lunch program. Effect: The District is not in compliance with Federal regulations related to internal control procedures and compliance requirements in relation to the grant and could put funding in jeopardy or require the District to reimburse the program. Auditor’s Recommendation: We recommend that all expenditures from the Food Service funds be related to food service. Ensure that only employees in food service are paid out of the national school lunch program funds. Responsible official’s view: Specific corrective action plan for the finding: This was the result of an error in changing a employee’s position from one department to another. Moving forward, the Human Resources Department will notify Payroll of any changes in position and will require TWO SIGNATURES prior to making any changes in pay coding. Timeline for completion of corrective action plan: Immediately. This process has already been put in place. Employee positions(s) responsible for meeting the timeline: Finance Director and Human Resources Director
Federal Program Information: Funding Agency: U.S. Department of Agriculture Title: National School Lunch Program FAL Number: 10.555 & 10.553 Passthrough: N/A Award Year: 2024 Criteria: Title 2 Subtitle A Chapter II Part 200 Section 200.405 Allocable Costs (a) Allocable costs in general. A cost is allocable to a Federal award or other cost objective if the cost is assignable to that Federal award or other cost objective in accordance with the relative benefits received. This standard is met if the cost satisfies any of the following criteria: (1) Is incurred specifically for the Federal award; (2) Benefits both the Federal award and other work of the recipient or subrecipient and can be distributed in proportions that may be approximated using reasonable methods; or (3) Is necessary to the overall operation of the recipient or subrecipient and is assignable in part to the Federal award in accordance with these cost principles. (b) Allocation of indirect costs. All activities which benefit from the recipient's or subrecipient's indirect cost, including unallowable activities and donated services by the recipient or subrecipient or third parties, will receive an appropriate allocation of indirect costs. (c) Limitation on charging certain allocable costs to other Federal awards. A cost allocable to a particular Federal award may not be charged to other Federal awards (for example, to overcome fund deficiencies or to avoid restrictions imposed by Federal statutes, regulations, or the terms and conditions of the Federal awards). However, this prohibition would not preclude the recipient or subrecipient from shifting costs that are allowable under two or more Federal awards in accordance with existing Federal statutes, regulations, or the terms and conditions of the Federal awards. (d) Direct cost allocation principles. If a cost benefits two or more projects or activities in proportions that can be determined without undue effort or cost, the cost must be allocated to the projects based on the proportional benefit However, when those proportions cannot be determined because of the interrelationship of the work involved, then, notwithstanding paragraph (c), the costs may be allocated or transferred to benefitted projects on any reasonable documented basis. Where the purchase of equipment or other capital asset is specifically authorized under a Federal award, the costs are assignable to the Federal award regardless of the use that may be made of the equipment or other capital asset involved, when no longer needed for the purpose for which it was originally required. See also §§ 200.310 through 200.316 and 200.439. Condition: During our review of national school lunch payroll, we identified the following issues: The District used school lunch funds to pay the payroll of an employee who was not working in the program. The employee worked in transportation and accounts payable. Questioned Costs: $59,074.56. This is the amount of school lunch program funds which were paid to the employee. We did not identify any other employees who were not legitimate employees of the school lunch program. Cause: The District did not ensure the funds expended were related to the national school lunch program. Effect: The District is not in compliance with Federal regulations related to internal control procedures and compliance requirements in relation to the grant and could put funding in jeopardy or require the District to reimburse the program. Auditor’s Recommendation: We recommend that all expenditures from the Food Service funds be related to food service. Ensure that only employees in food service are paid out of the national school lunch program funds. Responsible official’s view: Specific corrective action plan for the finding: This was the result of an error in changing a employee’s position from one department to another. Moving forward, the Human Resources Department will notify Payroll of any changes in position and will require TWO SIGNATURES prior to making any changes in pay coding. Timeline for completion of corrective action plan: Immediately. This process has already been put in place. Employee positions(s) responsible for meeting the timeline: Finance Director and Human Resources Director