Finding 1173467 (2023-003)

Material Weakness Repeat Finding
Requirement
N
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2023
Accepted
2026-02-13
Audit: 387200
Organization: City of Colonial Heights (VA)

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: The contract for a federally funded project lacked the required Wage Rate clause under the Davis Bacon Act.
  • Impacted Requirements: Compliance with the Davis Bacon Act is mandatory for all contracts related to ESSER funding.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Implement a process to ensure all federally funded project contracts include necessary DOL regulations.

Finding Text

2023-003: COVID-19 Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) Fund – ALN #84.425D and COVID-19 American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ARP ESSER) – ALN #84.425U, Special Tests and Provisions – Wage Rate (Material Noncompliance) Condition: During our review of the 1 applicable contract related to a federally funded project, we noted that the contract did not include the Wage Rate (Davis Bacon Act) and DOL regulations. Criteria: Federally funded projects under ESSER must comply with the Davis Bacon Act in the written contract. Cause: The omission of this clause was due to oversight. Effect: The written contract was not in compliance with required disclosures related to the Davis Bacon Act. Recommendation: We recommend that a process be put in place that ensures that all contracts related to federally funded projects include necessary DOL regulations. Views of Responsible Officials and Planned Corrective Action: The School Board agrees that the Davis Bacon Act was not included in the contract language. However, Colonial Heights Public Schools did not request any reimbursements for wages from the federal funding sources, only materials and supplies.

Corrective Action Plan

December 23, 2025 The City of Colonial Heights respectfully submits the following corrective action plan for the year ended June 30, 2023. Name and address of independent public accounting firm: Brown, Edwards & Company, L.L.P. 3906 Electric Road Roanoke, VA 24018 Audit period: June 30, 2023 The findings from the June 30, 2023 Schedule of Findings and Questioned Costs (the “Schedule”) are discussed below. The findings are numbered consistently with the number assigned in the Schedule. FINDINGS – FINANCIAL STATEMENT AUDIT 2023-001: Fund Balance Adjustments (Material Weakness) Condition: During our review of beginning fund balances, we noted that several fund balances did not agree to the ending amounts on the previous year’s annual comprehensive financial report due to issues with a financial software conversion during the fiscal year. As a result, adjustments were made to beginning fund balances during the audit. Criteria: Due to the financial software conversion, various fund balances were misstated due to the way the software was converting the fold balances and posting some new transactions. Cause: The financial software conversion lead to errors in fund balance reporting. Effect: Fund balance for several funds was materially misstated. Recommendation: We recommend correcting software issues and reconciling the prior year ending fund balances from the annual comprehensive financial report to the current year general ledger prior to fiscal year- end. Corrective Action: Management has noted the software issues for prior year ending fund balance reconciliation. The department has worked with the software vendor to resolve the underlying issues for prior year end fund balances and will continue to monitor for the following fiscal year audit to ensure the issue is fully resolved.. The software vendor also showed management a report to run on a monthly basis to check for any imbalances. Management will run this report at least monthly to check for imbalances going forward. FINDINGS – FINANCIAL STATEMENT AUDIT (CONTINUED) 2023-002: Audit Adjustments (Material Weakness) Condition: During the audit, we noted material year-end audit adjustments were required due to software conversion issues. These audit adjustments were required to ensure that the financial statements were prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. The adjustments were related to fund balance, trial balance discrepancies, and governmental account receivables. Criteria: Fund balance, various trial balance accounts, and governmental accounts receivables were initially materially misstated before audit adjustments were made. Cause: The financial software conversion lead to errors in financial reporting for some accounts. Effect: The ending balance for several accounts were materially misstated. Recommendation: We recommend establishing procedures in which qualified supervisors are reviewing year-end workpapers and reconciliations that feed into the final general ledger and focusing on the accuracy of year-end balances. We also recommend correcting any issues caused by the software conversion. Corrective Action: Management is working to establish procedures for qualified supervisors to review year-end workpapers and reconciliations that feed into the final general ledger. The department continues to correct issues caused by the software conversion. In addition, management has contracted with a consultant who is fully focused on audit work and will consider pre-audit engagements in the future. FINDINGS AND QUESTIONED COSTS – MAJOR FEDERAL AWARD PROGRAM AUDIT 2023-003: COVID-19 Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) Fund – ALN #84.425D and COVID-19 American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ARP ESSER) – ALN #84.425U, Special Tests and Provisions – Wage Rate (Material Noncompliance) Condition: During our review of the 1 applicable contract related to a federally funded project, we noted that the contract did not include the Wage Rate (Davis Bacon Act) and DOL regulations. Criteria: Federally funded projects under ESSER must comply with the Davis Bacon Act in the written contract. Cause: The omission of this clause was due to oversight. Effect: The written contract was not in compliance with required disclosures related to the Davis Bacon Act. Recommendation: We recommend that a process be put in place that ensures that all contracts related to federally funded projects include necessary DOL regulations. Corrective Action: Management will implement processes to ensure that any future contracts for federally funded projects will include the Wage Rate (Davis Bacon Act) and DOL regulations to ensure compliance. 2023-004: Highway Planning and Construction – ALN # 20.205, COVID-19 Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds – ALN # 21.027, Special Education - Grants to States – ALN # 84.027, Special Education - Preschool Grants – ALN # 84.173, COVID-19 Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) Fund – ALN # 84.425D, and COVID-19 American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ARP ESSER) – ALN # 84.425U, Late Filling of Data Collection Form Condition: The City did not submit the data collection form for the year ended June 30, 2023 timely. For June 30, 2023 year-end audits, under the requirements in the Uniform Guidance and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), all entities are required to submit the annual data collection form with the Federal Audit Clearinghouse the earlier of either 30 days after the issuance of the entity’s annual audit or nine months after the entity’s fiscal year-end. FINDINGS AND QUESTIONED COSTS – MAJOR FEDERAL AWARD PROGRAM AUDIT (CONTINUED) 2023-004: Highway Planning and Construction – ALN # 20.205, COVID-19 Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds – ALN # 21.027, Special Education - Grants to States – ALN # 84.027, Special Education - Preschool Grants – ALN # 84.173, COVID-19 Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) Fund – ALN # 84.425D, and COVID-19 American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ARP ESSER) – ALN # 84.425U, Late Filling of Data Collection Form Criteria: The City is required to submit the annual data collection form with the Federal Audit Clearinghouse the earlier of either 30 days after the issuance of the City’s annual audit or nine months after the City’s fiscal year-end. Cause: The data collection for was not filed timely due to the timing of the issuance of the City’s ACFR. Effect: The data collection form was not filed timely. Recommendation: Management should take steps to ensure that the firm is filed in a timely manner. Corrective Action: Management will work to complete the annual audit in a more timely manner, which is necessary to submit the annual data collection form in a more timely manner in future years. If the Federal Audit Clearinghouse has questions regarding this plan, please call Christina Sadler, Director of Finance at 804-520-9261. Sincerely yours, Christina E Sadler Director of Finance

Categories

Special Tests & Provisions Cash Management Internal Control / Segregation of Duties

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 1173459 2023-004
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1173460 2023-004
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1173461 2023-004
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1173462 2023-004
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1173463 2023-004
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1173464 2023-004
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1173465 2023-004
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1173466 2023-003
    Material Weakness Repeat

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
20.205 HIGHWAY PLANNING AND CONSTRUCTION $3.68M
84.425 EDUCATION STABILIZATION FUND $2.45M
84.027 SPECIAL EDUCATION GRANTS TO STATES $762,194
10.553 SCHOOL BREAKFAST PROGRAM $424,782
21.027 CORONAVIRUS STATE AND LOCAL FISCAL RECOVERY FUNDS $410,347
32.009 EMERGENCY CONNECTIVITY FUND PROGRAM $197,053
14.218 COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANTS/ENTITLEMENT GRANTS $133,902
84.367 SUPPORTING EFFECTIVE INSTRUCTION STATE GRANTS (FORMERLY IMPROVING TEACHER QUALITY STATE GRANTS) $116,307
84.010 TITLE I GRANTS TO LOCAL EDUCATIONAL AGENCIES $115,101
93.778 MEDICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM $101,592
97.083 STAFFING FOR ADEQUATE FIRE AND EMERGENCY RESPONSE (SAFER) $92,716
16.575 CRIME VICTIM ASSISTANCE $88,329
84.048 CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION -- BASIC GRANTS TO STATES $56,830
10.559 SUMMER FOOD SERVICE PROGRAM FOR CHILDREN $27,452
93.354 PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY RESPONSE: COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT FOR EMERGENCY RESPONSE: PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS RESPONSE $24,393
84.173 SPECIAL EDUCATION PRESCHOOL GRANTS $16,006
16.034 CORONAVIRUS EMERGENCY SUPPLEMENTAL FUNDING PROGRAM $12,500
84.365 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ACQUISITION STATE GRANTS $6,526
16.738 EDWARD BYRNE MEMORIAL JUSTICE ASSISTANCE GRANT PROGRAM $6,265
10.649 PANDEMIC EBT ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS $3,135
97.042 EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERFORMANCE GRANTS $2,100
10.555 NATIONAL SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAM $1,941
10.558 CHILD AND ADULT CARE FOOD PROGRAM $1,376