Finding 1182360 (2025-001)

Material Weakness Repeat Finding
Requirement
L
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2025
Accepted
2026-03-24

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: There is a material weakness in internal controls over financial reporting due to undetected material misstatements from adjusting journal entries.
  • Impacted Requirements: The Town's procedures for ledger review and reporting were insufficient, especially with the increased complexity of federal grant funding.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Management should ensure ongoing training and adjustments to accounting practices to prevent future misstatements and improve familiarity with federal funding requirements.

Finding Text

2025-001 Material Weakness in Internal Control over Financial Reporting – Material Adjusting Journal Entries Criteria: Under professional standards, a material weakness exists when material misstatements are not identified through an entity’s system of controls. Condition: During the audit, there were several material adjusting journal entries proposed to management to issue an unmodified opinion. Cause: Procedures are in place for the review of the ledger on a regular basis and for monthly and annual reporting, but due to the increased activity from grant funding that is outside the Town’s normal operations and the compressed time to review end of year financial reports, there were material adjustments proposed to management to issue an unmodified opinion. Effect: There is more than a remote chance that material misstatements could occur without detection. Context: The Town had several federally funded projects during 2025. The funding structure was complex and funding sources unexpectedly changed during the year. The Town does not normally receive a significant amount of federal grant funds, so they were not familiar with the reporting effects. Recommendation: Management has discussed the reporting differences and is now familiar with the proper and timely accounting for these transactions. Views of Responsible Officials and Planned Corrective Actions: The Town feels that these are isolated instances due to the increased funding and funding changes during the year. Management has reviewed the accounting requirements and is confident that they can correct these deficiencies during the year.

Corrective Action Plan

2025-001 Material Weakness in Internal Control over financial Reporting – Material Adjusting Journal Entries Recommendation: Management has discussed the reporting differences and is now familiar with the proper and timely accounting for these transactions Action Taken: The Town feels that this is an isolated instances due to the increased funding sources during the year. These instances are due to non-routine events over the course of the year. The town feels as though this will not be an issue in the future as it has now developed an understanding of the implications of material adjustments and has increased documentation standards and processes to reduce future occurrences. Person Responsible: Erin Walsh, Treasurer Anticipated Completion Date: 12/31/25

Categories

Material Weakness Reporting Internal Control / Segregation of Duties

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 1182361 2025-002
    Material Weakness Repeat

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
20.205 HIGHWAY PLANNING AND CONSTRUCTION $157,286
21.027 CORONAVIRUS STATE AND LOCAL FISCAL RECOVERY FUNDS $31,689
97.047 BRIC: BUILDING RESILIENT INFRASTRUCTURE AND COMMUNITIES $3,498