Finding 1153761 (2024-002)

Material Weakness Repeat Finding
Requirement
L
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2024
Accepted
2025-09-22
Audit: 366857
Organization: Stevens County (MN)

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: The annual report for COVID-19 funding inaccurately reported current period and cumulative expenditures, leading to potential misinterpretation of financial data.
  • Impacted Requirements: Compliance with federal reporting criteria under 42 USC 802 and 803, which mandates accurate annual reporting of financial obligations and expenditures.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Implement a thorough review process for annual reports, ensuring that someone other than the preparer verifies that reported figures match the general ledger before submission.

Finding Text

Finding 2024-002: Significant Deficiency - Reporting Program: COVID-19 - Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds Assistance Listing Number: 21.027 Federal Agency: U.S. Department of the Treasury Federal Award Identification Number: N/A Federal Award Year: December 31, 2024 Repeat of Prior Year Finding 2023-002 Criteria: Based on 42 USC 802 and 803 as implemented by the Treasury's Interim Final Rule and Final Rule at 31 CFR Part 35, recipients of the Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds are required to submit special reporting on an annual basis. This reporting is to include current period obligations, cumulative obligations, current period expenditures and cumulative expenditures for each project. Condition: The annual report understated current period expenditures and total cumulative expenditures. Questioned Costs: Not applicable. Context: There was one report required during the current year and the data reported included erroneously understated current period expenditures and total cumulative expenditures. Effect: Users of the annual report may incorrectly believe that current period expenditures and total cumulative expenditures were lower than what the County actually expended during the reporting period and cumulatively over the life of the program. Cause: Similar errors were noted in the annual report that was filed during the year ended December 31, 2023. Those errors were not identified until the audit, which was after the annual report was filed during the year ended December 31, 2024. The information in the annual report filed during the year ended December 31, 2023 was not able to be corrected prior to filing the annual report during the year ended December 31, 2024. Recommendation: We recommend that the county implement proper review of the annual reporting process. Someone other than the preparer of the report should provide adequate review prior to finalizing the report. This review should include verification that reported current period expenditure totals agree to the underlying general ledger detail as of the report date. These procedures should be documented and retained. Management's Response: The differences in the reporting are a cumulative effect from incorrect reporting from March 2023. The Administrator was unable to make changes to the 2023 report, so that affected the 2024 report.

Corrective Action Plan

Finding 2024-002: Significant Deficiency – Reporting Repeat of Prior Year Finding 2023-002 Condition: The annual report understated current period expenditures and total cumulative expenditures. Corrective Action: The differences in the reporting are a cumulative effect from incorrect reporting from March 2023. The Administrator was unable to make changes to the 2023 report, so that affected the 2024 report. The Administrator will have Auditor-Treasurer review the final report before submitting. Person Responsible For Corrective Action: Rebecca Young, Administrator Anticipated Completion Date: April 30, 2025

Categories

Reporting Significant Deficiency

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
93.778 Medical Assistance Program $405,802
21.027 Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds $215,161
93.563 Child Support Services $121,310
93.658 Foster Care Title IV-E $102,116
93.558 Temporary Assistance for Needy Families $100,336
93.667 Social Services Block Grant $92,530
10.561 State Administrative Matching Grants for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program $81,018
16.575 Crime Victim Assistance $71,761
93.590 Community-Based Child Abuse Prevention Grants $5,582
93.556 Marylee Allen Promoting Safe and Stable Families Program $4,344
93.575 Child Care and Development Block Grant $2,067
93.645 Stephanie Tubbs Jones Child Welfare Services Program $929
93.669 Child Abuse and Neglect State Grants $929
93.674 John H. Chafee Foster Care Program for Successful Transition to Adulthood $795
20.600 State and Community Highway Safety $710
93.566 Refugee and Entrant Assistance State/replacement Designee Administered Programs $615
93.767 Children's Health Insurance Program $125
20.608 Minimum Penalties for Repeat Offenders for Driving While Intoxicated $115