Finding 1168787 (2025-001)

Material Weakness Repeat Finding
Requirement
L
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2025
Accepted
2026-01-12
Audit: 380902
Organization: Town of Waterford, Connecticut (CT)

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: The Town's reporting for COVID-19 funds showed a material weakness in internal controls, leading to inaccurate expenditure reports.
  • Impacted Requirements: The Town failed to meet the annual reporting criteria for Project and Expenditure Reports, resulting in a cumulative underreporting of $271,749.
  • Recommended Follow-up: Strengthen internal controls and review processes for grant expenditure reporting to ensure accuracy before submission.

Finding Text

Federal Agency: Department of the Treasury Federal Program Name: COVID-19 – Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds Assistance Listing Number: 21.027 Federal Award Identification Number and Year: March 3, 2021 through December 31, 2026 Award Period: 2025 Type of Finding: Material Weakness in Internal Control over Compliance Criteria: The Town is required to submit annual Project and Expenditure Reports as of March 31st, per Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund Reporting Compliance Requirements. The Town internal control processes over reporting require review and approval of project expenditure reports for accuracy prior to submission to the granting agency. Condition: Testing of the March 31, 2025 report revealed cumulative expenditures did not match underlying accounting records, indicating no effective controls to ensure accuracy. Questioned Costs: Total cumulative expenditures were underreported by $271,749. Context: The Town submitted Project and Expenditure Reports that did not tie to underlying accounting records. Cause: Expenditures were underreported due to incorrect report parameters used to generate supporting documentation used in the report preparation and inadequate review controls. Effect: Inaccurate reporting could result in misrepresentation of progress in program/project status and eligible expenditures to date. Without proper controls in place over reporting, inaccurate project information could be reported and not detected by the Town. Repeat Finding: No Recommendation: We recommend the Town strengthen processes and internal controls over grant expenditure reporting to ensure accurate data and proper review before submission. Views of Responsible Officials: Management agrees with this finding.

Corrective Action Plan

Description of Finding Material Weakness in Internal Control over Compliance - Reporting Statement of Concurrence or Nonconcurrence Please note that Town of Waterford Management concurs with this finding. Corrective Action After contacting the US Treasury Department regarding the error in reporting ARPA obligations/encumbrances versus an expenditure, I was advised to correct when submitting my April 2026 expenditure report. As advised, the upcoming report will correct the reporting of obligations and expenditures.

Categories

Reporting Material Weakness

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 1168781 2025-001
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1168782 2025-001
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1168783 2025-001
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1168784 2025-001
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1168785 2025-001
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1168786 2025-001
    Material Weakness Repeat

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
21.027 CORONAVIRUS STATE AND LOCAL FISCAL RECOVERY FUNDS $2.04M
10.555 NATIONAL SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAM $411,367
84.010 TITLE I GRANTS TO LOCAL EDUCATIONAL AGENCIES $325,732
84.027 SPECIAL EDUCATION GRANTS TO STATES $164,158
10.553 SCHOOL BREAKFAST PROGRAM $78,620
84.367 SUPPORTING EFFECTIVE INSTRUCTION STATE GRANTS (FORMERLY IMPROVING TEACHER QUALITY STATE GRANTS) $53,151
97.042 EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERFORMANCE GRANTS $52,264
84.048 CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION -- BASIC GRANTS TO STATES $49,815
20.607 ALCOHOL OPEN CONTAINER REQUIREMENTS $45,498
97.044 ASSISTANCE TO FIREFIGHTERS GRANT $33,915
84.173 SPECIAL EDUCATION PRESCHOOL GRANTS $20,321
84.365 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ACQUISITION STATE GRANTS $13,607
20.600 STATE AND COMMUNITY HIGHWAY SAFETY $13,382
84.424 STUDENT SUPPORT AND ACADEMIC ENRICHMENT PROGRAM $12,394
10.185 LOCAL FOOD FOR SCHOOLS COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT PROGRAM $2,932
45.025 PROMOTION OF THE ARTS PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENTS $1,250