Finding 1228585 (2025-004)

Material Weakness Repeat Finding
Requirement
L
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2025
Accepted
2026-09-01
Audit: 410210
Organization: Town of Boxford (MA)
Auditor: CBIZ CPAS PC

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: The Town's reported expenditures for federal funds did not match its accounting records, indicating a lack of effective controls.
  • Impacted Requirements: Compliance with 2 CFR 200.303(a) and Treasury guidance on accurate reporting of Project and Expenditure Reports.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Establish a formal reconciliation process to ensure reported amounts align with accounting records before submission.

Finding Text

2025-004 Improve Compliance and Controls Over Reporting Federal Program Information Federal Agency: U.S. Department of the Treasury Award Name: Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds Assistance Listing Number: 21.027 Pass-Through Entity: Not applicable Award Year: 2021 Compliance Requirement: Reporting Type of Finding Compliance Internal Control over Compliance – Significant Deficiency Criteria or Specific Requirement 2 CFR 200.303(a) requires the auditee to establish and maintain effective internal control over Federal awards to ensure compliance with Federal statutes, regulations, and terms and conditions. For SLFRF funds, the Treasury Compliance and Reporting Guidance requires recipients to submit accurate and complete Project and Expenditure Reports (P&E Reports), including both current period and cumulative expenditures. Condition and Context During our testing of SLFRF expenditures reported in the 2025 Project and Expenditure (P&E) Report, we noted that the Town’s underlying accounting records and supporting detail did not agree to the amounts reported to Treasury. Specifically, current period and cumulative expenditures per the general ledger and supporting schedules differed from the amounts reported in the P&E Report. No formal reconciliation was performed or documented between the Town’s accounting records and the submitted federal report prior to submission. Cause The discrepancy was caused by the Town’s lack of a formal control requiring reconciliation and detailed review of SLFRF report data to underlying accounting records before submission. In addition, reporting was prepared using manually compiled schedules outside of the general ledger, increasing the risk of error. Effect or Potential Effect Reporting discrepancies noted above increase the risk of noncompliance with federal reporting requirements. Questioned Costs No questioned costs are reported as this requirement is administrative in nature and costs were ultimately deemed allowable. Identification as a Repeat Finding This is not a repeat of a prior finding. Recommendation The Town should implement a formal reconciliation process requiring agreement of current period and cumulative expenditures to the general ledger prior to submission of reports and retain such documentation. Views of Responsible Official and Planned Corrective Action Management’s corrective action plan is included at the end of this report after the Schedule of Prior Year Findings.

Corrective Action Plan

Audit Finding Reference: 2025-004 Improve Compliance and Controls Over Reporting Planned Corrective Action: This finding was identified by the Town’s independent auditor during the FY2025 single audit and was not issued by the U.S. Department of the Treasury or another federal agency. Before any remaining SLFRF Project and Expenditure Report is submitted, the preparer will reconcile current-period and cumulative expenditures to the general ledger and supporting grant schedule. A second finance official will review the reconciliation and proposed submission. The preparer and reviewer will sign and date the reconciliation, which will be retained with a copy of the submitted report. The same control will be used for a future material federal financial report when circumstances warrant. Planned Implementation Date of Corrective Action: Before the next remaining SLFRF report is submitted; otherwise, upon the next applicable material federal report Person Responsible for Corrective Action: Assistant Town Administrator/Finance Director and Town Accountant, with preparation and review duties appropriately separated

Categories

Subrecipient Monitoring Reporting Significant Deficiency Internal Control / Segregation of Duties

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 1228583 2025-002
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1228584 2025-003
    Material Weakness Repeat

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
21.027 CORONAVIRUS STATE AND LOCAL FISCAL RECOVERY FUNDS $1.23M
84.425 EDUCATION STABILIZATION FUND $95,286
10.555 NATIONAL SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAM $35,561
84.010 TITLE I GRANTS TO LOCAL EDUCATIONAL AGENCIES $23,478
84.367 SUPPORTING EFFECTIVE INSTRUCTION STATE GRANTS (FORMERLY IMPROVING TEACHER QUALITY STATE GRANTS) $14,838
84.027 SPECIAL EDUCATION GRANTS TO STATES $11,151
84.173 SPECIAL EDUCATION PRESCHOOL GRANTS $10,358
84.424 STUDENT SUPPORT AND ACADEMIC ENRICHMENT PROGRAM $3,712
97.042 EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERFORMANCE GRANTS $2,608