Finding Text
Cluster name: Forest Service Schools and Roads Cluster Assistance Listings number and name: 10.665 Schools and Roads?Grants to States Award number and year: Not applicable Federal agency: U.S. Department of Agriculture Compliance requirements: Special tests and provisions Questioned costs: Not applicable Condition?Contrary to federal law, the County?s Public Health Services Department did not provide to its resource advisory committee and the public the required 45-day comment period on its proposal to spend its Title III monies prior to spending them. Specifically, the County spent its entire Title III award of $50,417 for wildfire education, prevention, and protection; and search, rescue, and patrol activities without submitting its proposal to its resource advisory committee. Additionally, the Department had already spent $46,506, or 92 percent, of its awarded Title III monies before it provided notice of its proposal to the public, which occurred 10 months later. Effect?Although the County spent its Title III monies for allowable uses, neither the County?s resource advisory committee nor the public had the opportunity to comment on the County?s use of the Title III monies. Cause?The Department reported that they were unaware of the federal law?s requirements and, therefore, did not have written policies and procedures to ensure that it provided its resource advisory committee and the public the required 45-day comment period prior to spending its Title III monies. Criteria?Federal law provides that the County can use Title III monies for allowable uses, such as wildfire education, prevention, and protection; and search, rescue, and patrol activities, only after the County provides a 45-day comment period on its proposed spending. Specifically, the County is required to submit its proposed use of the monies to its resource advisory committee, while also publishing in a public notice for comment, allowing 45-days for comments on its proposal before spending the monies (16 U.S.C. ?7142[b]). Further, federal regulation requires establishing and maintaining effective internal control over federal awards that provides reasonable assurance that federal programs are being managed in compliance with all applicable laws, regulations, and award terms (2 CFR ?200.303). Recommendations?The Department should: 1. Develop and implement written policies and procedures for submitting its proposal for spending Title III monies to its resource advisory committee, publishing public notice of the proposal for comment, and spending the monies on allowable uses only after the required 45-day comment period. 2. Ensure that its employees responsible for administering the program are aware of the federal law?s requirement and are trained on the Department?s policies and procedures. The County?s corrective action plan at the end of this report includes the views and planned corrective action of its responsible officials. We are not required to audit and have not audited these responses and planned corrective actions and therefore provide no assurances as to their accuracy.