Finding 1144478 (2024-001)

Significant Deficiency
Requirement
L
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2024
Accepted
2025-06-27
Audit: 360407
Auditor: Cbiz CPAS PC

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: The Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Awards and State Financial Assistance (SEFA) inaccurately reported $538,000 in federal grant expenditures that had not been incurred, affecting program classification.
  • Impacted Requirements: The inaccuracies in the SEFA could lead to incorrect reporting to federal and state agencies, necessitating changes in audit testing procedures.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Provide additional training for staff on Disaster Grants and ensure SEFA review by knowledgeable management during the financial close process.

Finding Text

Inaccurate Reporting Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Awards and State Financial Assistance. Condition: During our initial testing of the Disaster Grants - Public Assistance (Presidentially Declared Disasters) grant (ALN#97.036), the auditor identified approximately $538,000 in obligated advanced funds from FEMA that were initally reported in the Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Awards and State Financial Assistance ("SEFA"). However, the District had not yet incurred the corresponding expenditures. As a result, the expendture was initally recorded and improperly reflected in the SEFA as a federal award expenditure. The removal of the expenditure amount reduced the Disaster Grant from a Major Type A Program to a Non-Major Type B Program and decreased the federal award expenditure amount by approximately $538,000. Accordingly, these adjustments required the auditor to modify its testing procedures in accordance with the Uniform Guidance. Additionally, the SEFA provided by the District's staff incorrectly reported three (3) expenditures related to CSFA #37.039 (Statewide Water Quality Restoration Projects) totaling approximately $205,000 for services that were performed in previous fiscal years but were presented as a state financial assistance expenditure in the SEFA for the fiscal yedar ended September 30, 2024. Cause: Lack of sufficient review controls over the prepareation and review of the SEFA. Effect: The SEFA was not accurately prepared and could result in incorrect reporting of expenditures to federal and state agencies. Recommendation: We recommend that the staff responsible for the preparation of the SEFA and monitoring of Federal and State Awards receive additional training to possess a thorough understanding of Disaster Grants and their related program requirements. Additionally, the SEFA should be reviewed and approved by management personnel identied by the District who possesses the adequate knowledge and expertise. Such review and approval should take place during the District's financial close process.

Categories

Reporting

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 568036 2024-001
    Significant Deficiency

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
21.027 Usdot-Fdep Pass-Through Coronavirus State and Local Recovery Funds: Cslrf-Lake Okeechobee Watershed Restoration Project $7.73M
15.654 Usdoi-National Wildlife Refuge System Enhancements $3.68M
21.027 Usdot-Fdep Pass-Through Coronavirus State and Local Recovery Funds: Cslrf-Reclaim Water Expansion: Cape Coral $2.26M
21.027 Usdot-Fdep Pass-Through Coronavirus State and Local Recovery Funds: Cslrf-J.w. Corbett Levee Slfrp0125 $1.03M
15.916 Usdoi-Outdoor Recreation Acquisition , Development and Planning $456,277
97.036 Fema-Fdem Pass-Through Disaster Grants-PA Dorian $374,342
15.U01 Usdoi-Talisman Program Income $124,966
97.036 Fema-Fdem Pass-Through Disaster Grants-PA Ian $118,956
15.U01 Usdoi-East Coast Buffer/water Preserve Areas Land Acquisitions $97,711
97.036 Fema-Fdem Pass-Through Disaster Grants-PA Irma $69,794
21.027 Usdot-Fdep Pass-Through Coronavirus State and Local Recovery Funds: Cslrf-Green Heart of the Everglades Land Acquisition $37,567
11.478 Usdoc-Noaa Pass-Through University of Florida-Center for Sponsored Coastal Ocean Research Coastal Ocean Program $32,000