Finding 1171707 (2024-014)

Material Weakness Repeat Finding
Requirement
L
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2024
Accepted
2026-01-30
Audit: 384731
Organization: Osage County (OK)

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: The County underreported federal expenditures for the Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds by $753,744 due to inaccurate cash basis reporting.
  • Impacted Requirements: Failure to comply with federal reporting standards could lead to noncompliance with grant requirements.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: The County should develop a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for accurate tracking and reporting of federal funds and ensure all staff are trained on compliance requirements.

Finding Text

Condition: Expenditures for federal program, Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds were not accurately reported on the Compliance Report. Federal expenditures were underreported by $753,744. The County reported $0, resulting in an understatement of $753,744 This was due to the County failing to report expenditures on a cash basis. Cause of Condition: Policies and procedures have not been designed and implemented to ensure federal expenditures are made in accordance with federal compliance requirements. Effect of Condition: This condition could result in noncompliance with grant requirements. Recommendation: OSAI recommends the County gain an understanding of the grant requirements for this program and implement internal controls to ensure compliance with these grant requirements. Management Response: Chairman of the Board of County Commissioners: This issue originated under the prior County Clerk’s administration where key reporting processes were not followed. The Board of County Commissioners and the other elected officials have made correcting this a top priority. Together, we are: • developing a comprehensive SOP to ensure accurate and timely tracking and reporting of federal funds, • improving communication and oversight between all county offices to ensure consistent reporting standards, • and ensuring annual compliance with federal reporting requirements. Our collective goal is to implement the policies and structures that will keep Osage County operating with the highest standard of accountability and excellence. County Clerk: I was not the County Clerk in office at this time. To correct this issue. the County plans to develop a SOP to timely and accurately track and report on federal funds. The SOP will be reviewed, adopted, and monitored by the Board of County Commissioners. County Treasurer: The County was under the understanding that once we established we were reporting as Loss Revenue, we would not have to submit the report annually. The final reporting was submitted prior to deadline. Criteria: Compliance and Reporting Guidance, State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (10. Reporting.) reads as follows: All recipients of federal funds must complete financial, performance, and compliance reporting as required and outlined in Part 2 of this guidance. Expenditures may be reported on a cash or accrual basis, as long as the methodology is disclosed and consistently applied. Reporting must be consistent with the definition of expenditures pursuant to 2 CFR 200.1. Your organization should appropriately maintain accounting records for compiling and reporting accurate, compliant financial data, in accordance with appropriate accounting standards and principles. In addition, where appropriate, you organization needs to establish controls to ensure completion and timely submission of all mandatory performance and/or compliance reporting. Further, 2 CFR § 200.329 Monitoring and Reporting Program Performance (c)(1) reads as follows: The non-Federal entity must submit performance reports at the interval required by the Federal awarding agency or pass-through entity to best inform improvements in program outcomes and productivity. Intervals must be no less frequent than annually nor more frequent than quarterly except in unusual circumstances, for example where more frequent reporting is necessary for the effective monitoring of the Federal award or could significantly affect program outcomes. Reports submitted annually by the non-Federal entity and/or pass-through entity must be due no later than 90 calendar days after the reporting period. Reports submitted quarterly or semiannually must be due no later than 30 calendar days after the reporting period. Alternatively, the Federal awarding agency or pass-through entity may require annual reports before the anniversary dates of multiple year Federal awards. The final performance report submitted by the non-Federal entity and/or pass-through entity must be due no later than 120 calendar days after the period of performance end date. A subrecipient must submit to the pass-through entity, no later than 90 calendar days after the period of performance end date, all final performance reports as required by the terms and conditions of the Federal award. See also § 200.344. If a justified request is submitted by a non-Federal entity, the Federal agency may extend the due date for any performance report.

Corrective Action Plan

Chairman of the Board of County Commissioners: This issue originated under the prior County Clerk’s administration where key reporting processes were not followed. The Board of County Commissioners and the other elected officials have made correcting this a top priority. Together, we are: • developing a comprehensive SOP to ensure accurate and timely tracking and reporting of federal funds, • improving communication and oversight between all county offices to ensure consistent reporting standards, • and ensuring annual compliance with federal reporting requirements. Our collective goal is to implement the policies and structures that will keep Osage County operating with the highest standard of accountability and excellence. County Clerk: I was not the County Clerk in office at this time. To correct this issue. the County plans to develop a SOP to timely and accurately track and report on federal funds. The SOP will be reviewed, adopted, and monitored by the Board of County Commissioners. County Treasurer: The County was under the understanding that once we established we were reporting as Loss Revenue, we would not have to submit the report annually. The final reporting was submitted prior to deadline.

Categories

Subrecipient Monitoring Internal Control / Segregation of Duties

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 1171704 2024-011
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1171705 2024-012
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1171706 2024-013
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1171708 2024-015
    Material Weakness Repeat

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
21.027 CORONAVIRUS STATE AND LOCAL FISCAL RECOVERY FUNDS $753,744
15.226 PAYMENTS IN LIEU OF TAXES $202,398
93.045 SPECIAL PROGRAMS FOR THE AGING, TITLE III, PART C, NUTRITION SERVICES $80,115
21.032 LOCAL ASSISTANCE AND TRIBAL CONSISTENCY FUND $73,824
14.228 COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANTS/STATE'S PROGRAM AND NON-ENTITLEMENT GRANTS IN HAWAII $47,525
93.053 NUTRITION SERVICES INCENTIVE PROGRAM $29,113
20.600 STATE AND COMMUNITY HIGHWAY SAFETY $27,374
15.433 FLOOD CONTROL ACT LANDS $18,589
97.042 EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERFORMANCE GRANTS $13,072
93.052 NATIONAL FAMILY CAREGIVER SUPPORT, TITLE III, PART E $12,679
16.710 PUBLIC SAFETY PARTNERSHIP AND COMMUNITY POLICING GRANTS $3,465