Finding 400921 (2023-003)

Material Weakness Repeat Finding
Requirement
P
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2023
Accepted
2024-06-16
Audit: 308952
Organization: Lyons Fire District (NY)

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: The Lyons Fire District has only one person handling cash receipts, disbursements, and financial reporting, which lacks proper segregation of duties.
  • Impacted Requirements: This situation increases the risk of errors or fraud due to insufficient checks and balances in financial processes.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: The Fire District should ensure the Board of Fire Commissioners reviews monthly financial reports and considers having a Board member review bank reconciliations.

Finding Text

Segregation of Duties Year ended December 31, 2023 Conditions and Criteria: The Lyons Fire District is a small organization with only one individual involved in the cash receipt and disbursement functions. In addition, this person performs general ledger record keeping and financial reporting functions. Cause: The Fire District is a small organization with a limited number of personnel. Effect: A fundamental element of an effective internal control system is the proper segregation of duties. Proper segregation of duties provides for a system of checks and balances and entails assigning responsibilities of authorizing and recording transactions among different people in the Fire District. A lack of proper segregation of duties increases the exposure to potential risk of error or fraud. Auditors’ Recommendation: The Fire District should continue to obtain involvement from the Board of Fire Commissioners in reviewing monthly financial reports and approving expenditures. In addition, the Fire District should consider having a Board member prepare or review bank reconciliations for each of its bank accounts. Fire District Response: We will continue to have the Board review monthly reports and approve expenditures. Further, the Fire District will consider having its bank reconciliations reviewed by a Board member.

Corrective Action Plan

Segregation of Duties Auditors’ Recommendation: The Fire District should continue to obtain involvement from the Board of Fire Commissioners in reviewing monthly financial reports and approving expenditures. In addition, the Fire District should consider having a Board member prepare or review bank reconciliations for each of its bank accounts. Fire District Response: Meghan Nagel, Treasurer, and Brian Engels, Board chairman, understand the importance of having strong segregation of duties and will attempt to separate certain responsibilities as outline above for the year ending December 31, 2024, but does prove difficult in a small district with minimal employees. The Fire District will continue to have the Board review monthly reports and approve expenditures. Further, the Fire District will continue to print the operating account reconciliation and will have that reviewed by a board member. The Fire District will start printing the reconciliation for all other accounts for them to be reviewed by a board member, as well continuing to print each bank statement to be reviewed.

Categories

Internal Control / Segregation of Duties Reporting

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 977363 2023-003
    Material Weakness Repeat

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
10.766 Community Facilities Loans and Grants $855,000