Finding 1177607 (2025-001)

Material Weakness Repeat Finding
Requirement
P
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2025
Accepted
2026-03-10

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: The City lacks proper controls for tracking and recording grant receivables and related revenues, leading to unrecorded expenditures.
  • Impacted Requirements: Timely submission of reimbursement requests for federal and state grants is not being met, affecting financial accuracy.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Implement a formal process in the accounting department to estimate and record grant receivables when expenditures occur, ensuring better financial reporting.

Finding Text

Finding: The City lacks adequate controls related to the tracking, recording, and monitoring grant receivables, associated revenue and deferred revenue, and the timely submission of reimbursement requests for federal and state grants. During the audit, we noted instances of which expenditures had been incurred but no corresponding receivable or deferred revenue had been recorded, due primarily to reliance on department personnel to initiate the reimbursement. Recommendation: We recommend the City strengthen its controls by implementing a formal process within the accounting department to proactively estimate and record grant receivables and associated revenue and deferred revenue at the time qualifying expenditures are incurred. Estimates should be based on available expenditure records, project status, and historical reimbursement activity, and subsequently reconciled to the actual amounts once reimbursement requests are prepared and submitted. This process will improve the accuracy and timeliness of financial reporting and reduce the risk of unrecorded receivables.

Corrective Action Plan

The City acknowledges the internal control deficiencies related to the tracking, recording, and monitoring of grant receivables, related revenue and deferred revenue, and the timely preparation of reimbursement requests for federal and state grants. Management recognizes that the current process, which relies heavily on individual departments to initiate reimbursement activity, has resulted in delays and incomplete financial reporting. To address the issue, the City will implement the following corrective actions: 1. Centralized Grant Monitoring Process: The Accounting Department will assume responsibility for proactively identifying and recording grant receivables and associated revenue and deferred revenue at the time expenditures are incurred. This process will no longer be dependent solely on departmental requests for reimbursement. 2. Quarterly Review and Reconciliation: A new quarterly grant monitoring schedule will be established. As part of this process, the Accounting Department will review expenditure reports for all active grants, estimate receivable amounts, and ensure timely recognition of revenue in accordance with applicable accounting standards. 3. Formal Documentation and Workflow Procedures: The City will develop written procedures detailing the steps for monitoring grant expenditures, estimating receivables, reconciling recorded amounts to actual reimbursement submissions, and communicating with grant managing departments. 4. Departmental Training: The City will provide training to staff involved in grant management to ensure all departments understand the updated process and the importance of timely expenditure reporting. These corrective actions will strengthen internal controls, improve accuracy in financial reporting, and ensure compliance with federal grant reimbursement requirements. Anticipated Completion Date: Procedures will be drafted and implemented by June 30, 2026, with quarterly monitoring beginning immediately thereafter. Views of Responsible Officials: The City concurs with the auditors’ findings and recommendations.

Categories

Subrecipient Monitoring Cash Management Reporting

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
20.205 HIGHWAY PLANNING AND CONSTRUCTION $261,460
14.218 COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANTS/ENTITLEMENT GRANTS $138,346
81.123 NATIONAL NUCLEAR SECURITY ADMINISTRATION (NNSA) MINORITY SERVING INSTITUTIONS (MSI) PROGRAM $29,960
16.738 EDWARD BYRNE MEMORIAL JUSTICE ASSISTANCE GRANT PROGRAM $18,542
16.607 BULLETPROOF VEST PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM $9,780
14.228 COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANTS/STATE'S PROGRAM AND NON-ENTITLEMENT GRANTS IN HAWAII $8,259
15.904 HISTORIC PRESERVATION FUND GRANTS-IN-AID $816