Finding 1096527 (2023-003)

Material Weakness
Requirement
L
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2023
Accepted
2025-01-23
Audit: 339577
Organization: City of Gary (IN)

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: The City of Gary lacks proper internal controls over key reporting processes, leading to a material weakness in compliance.
  • Impacted Requirements: The City failed to ensure accurate submissions of the CDBG Cash on Hand Quarterly report, Section 3 Summary Report, and FFATA reports due to insufficient oversight.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Management should establish a robust internal control system, including segregation of duties, to enhance the accuracy of all required reports.

Finding Text

FINDING 2023-003 Subject: CDBG - Entitlement Grants Cluster - Internal Control Federal Agency: Department of Housing and Urban Development Federal Programs: Community Development Block Grants/Entitlement Grants; COVID-19 - Community Development Block Grants/Entitlement Grants Assistance Listings Number: 14.218 Federal Award Numbers and Years (or Other Identifying Numbers): B20MC180005; B21MC180005; B22MC180005; B20MW180005 Compliance Requirement: Reporting Audit Finding: Material Weakness INDIANA STATE BOARD OF ACCOUNTS 23 CITY OF GARY SCHEDULE OF FINDINGS AND QUESTIONED COSTS (Continued) Condition and Context Recipients are required to submit quarterly the CDBG Cash on Hand Quarterly report (PR29). The report is generated from information entered by the City into the HUD's Integrated Disbursement Information System (IDIS). Recipients are also required to submit annually a Section 3 Summary Report and Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act (FFATA) reports. The City did not have internal control procedures in place over the PR29 quarterly reports, Section 3 Summary Report, and the FFATA Report. The reports were generated and submitted by one individual, without a review or oversight process to detect and correct errors prior to submission. The lack of internal controls was isolated to the reports noted above. Criteria 2 CFR 200.303 states in part: "The non-Federal entity must: (a) Establish and maintain effective internal control over the Federal award that provides reasonable assurance that the non-Federal entity is managing the Federal award in compliance with Federal statutes, regulations, and the terms and conditions of the Federal award. These internal controls should be in compliance with guidance in 'Standards for Internal Control in the Federal Government' issued by the Comptroller General of the United States or the 'Internal Control Integrated Framework', issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO). . . ." Cause A proper system of internal controls was not designed or implemented by management of the City to ensure that policies and procedures were in place related to reporting to ensure the amounts reported were accurate. Effect Without the proper implementation of an effectively designed system of internal controls over reporting, the City cannot ensure that the reports submitted are materially accurate and correct. Questioned Costs There were no questioned costs identified. Recommendation We recommended that the management of the City design and implement a proper system of internal controls, including a segregation of duties, to ensure the accuracy and correctness of the PR 29 reports, Section 3 Summary Report, and FFATA Reports. Views of Responsible Officials For the views of responsible officials, refer to the Corrective Action Plan that is part of this report.

Categories

Internal Control / Segregation of Duties Material Weakness Reporting Matching / Level of Effort / Earmarking

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 520084 2023-003
    Material Weakness
  • 520085 2023-003
    Material Weakness
  • 1096526 2023-003
    Material Weakness

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
21.027 Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds $20.02M
11.300 Investments for Public Works and Economic Development Facilities $803,711
14.218 Community Development Block Grants/entitlement Grants $646,450
14.239 Home Investment Partnerships Program $636,347
14.231 Emergency Solutions Grant Program $398,649
20.205 Highway Planning and Construction $306,444
93.917 Hiv Care Formula Grants $220,757
16.922 Equitable Sharing Program $159,423
93.977 Sexually Transmitted Diseases (std) Prevention and Control Grants $145,152
93.323 Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity for Infectious Diseases (elc) $113,344
93.268 Immunization Cooperative Agreements $52,215
30.001 Employment Discrimination Title Vii of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 $37,869
66.472 Beach Monitoring and Notification Program Implementation Grants $29,925
93.671 Family Violence Prevention and Services/domestic Violence Shelter and Supportive Services $29,541
93.940 Hiv Prevention Activities Health Department Based $28,274
93.069 Public Health Emergency Preparedness $12,455
16.123 Community-Based Violence Prevention Program $10,511
93.354 Public Health Emergency Response: Cooperative Agreement for Emergency Response: Public Health Crisis Response $5,036