Finding 1201499 (2025-004)

Material Weakness Repeat Finding
Requirement
L
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2025
Accepted
2026-03-30
Audit: 396071
Organization: Town of Batesburg-Leesville (SC)

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: Material audit adjustments were needed due to misstatements in the financial statements related to the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund.
  • Impacted Requirements: Compliance with 2 CFR 200.510 was not met, as required expenditure accruals for federal grants were not properly recorded.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Ensure all revenues and expenses are accurately accrued at year-end and provide necessary information to auditors before the audit begins.

Finding Text

25-04(Reference per Financial Statements) Material Audit Adjustments Affecting the SEFA Environmental Protection Agency Program Name: Drinking Water State Revolving Fund Assistance Listings #: 66.468 Federal Award Date: March 13, 2024 Pass-Through Grant #: CF3-23-3210002-04 Period of Performance: 3/13/2024 – 6/01/2026 Compliance Requirement: Reporting Questioned Costs: $0 Criteria: According to 2 CFR 200.510 of the Code of Federal Regulations, the auditee must prepare a schedule of expenditures of Federal awards for the period covered by the auditee's financial statements. The schedule must include the total Federal awards expended as determined in accordance with 2 CFR 200.502 where it states, “The determination of when a Federal award is expended must be based on when the activity related to the Federal award occurs. Generally, the activity related to the Federal award pertains to events that require the non-Federal entity to comply with Federal statutes, regulations, and the terms and conditions of Federal awards, such as expenditure/expense transactions associated with grants.” Condition: As mentioned in finding 25-01 above, several audit adjustments were proposed and posted to the Town’s trial balance to correct material misstatements. The material adjustments were related to required expenditure/expense accruals for construction projects and related grant revenues/receivables. This directly impacted the amounts reported in the SEFA for ALN 66.468. Effect of Condition: Without the proposed audit adjustments, the Town’s financial statements would have been materially misstated, including the SEFA. Cause: There was a failure to accrue, as accounts payable, several construction invoices at year-end which were federal grant expenses. Related grant revenues and receivables were also not recorded. Recommendation: Care should be taken at each year-end to ensure that all revenues and expenditures/expenses are reported in the proper period, including accrual of all earned revenues and incurred expenditures/expenses. The adjustments should either be made to the ledger or information related to the accruals should be provided to the auditor before audit procedures commence. Views of Responsible Officials and Planned Corrective Action: Management agrees with the auditor’s recommendations. The Town will review each revenue and expenditure/expense account at year-end and ensure that all accruals of earned revenues and incurred expenses are made and reported in the proper period or that information is provided to the auditor before audit procedures commence.

Corrective Action Plan

The Town will ensure that all grant funds are accounted for in the proper budget year, to include revenue and expenses. This will involve Finance staff and the grant manager for each grant noting the proper budget year on invoices and revenue receipts. A label will be created to note these items. Finance staff will also create new line items to ensure separation of grants from other special revenue. Additionally, the Town will reflect Retainage Payable on balance sheets. The estimated completion date is June 1, 2026. Jay Hendrix, Town Manager, is responsible for overseeing the corrective action plan and that implementation occurs by the estimated completion date.

Categories

Reporting

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 1201498 2025-003
    Material Weakness Repeat

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
21.027 CORONAVIRUS STATE AND LOCAL FISCAL RECOVERY FUNDS $6.84M
66.468 DRINKING WATER STATE REVOLVING FUND $2.47M
16.738 EDWARD BYRNE MEMORIAL JUSTICE ASSISTANCE GRANT PROGRAM $102,149
20.939 SAFE STREETS AND ROADS FOR ALL $57,875
14.218 COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANTS/ENTITLEMENT GRANTS $54,404
20.600 STATE AND COMMUNITY HIGHWAY SAFETY $16,427