Finding 46696 (2022-003)

Significant Deficiency
Requirement
L
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2022
Accepted
2023-07-13
Audit: 40977
Organization: City of Beloit (WI)

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: Reports submitted lacked independent review, risking errors in compliance with federal and state requirements.
  • Impacted Requirements: Internal controls must ensure accurate and timely reporting as per Uniform Guidance and State Single Audit Guidelines.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: The City should enhance internal control procedures to include mandatory independent reviews of reports before submission.

Finding Text

Finding 2022-003 Program Assistance Listing Number: 21.027 COVID-19 Coronavirus State & Local Fiscal Recovery Funds Federal Grantor: U.S. Department of Treasury Criteria: The Uniform Guidance and State Single Audit Guidelines require that local entities receiving federal and state awards establish and maintain internal control designed to reasonably ensure compliance with laws, regulations, and program compliance requirements. The Uniform Guidance and State Single Audit Guidelines further require auditors to obtain an understanding of the local entity's internal control over federal and state programs. To minimize the risk of errors, internal controls should be in place for all program compliance requirements, including the preparation and submission reports, which should be reviewed and approved by a responsible party other than the original preparer. Condition/Context: The Project and Expenditure Report and the Interim Report tested were not reviewed by an independent person before submission. Cause: The City did not have internal control procedures in place requiring an independent person to review the reports before submission and ensure the reports were accurate and submitted timely. The sample was not a statistically valid sample. Effect: Reports that were submitted could contain errors. Questioned Costs: None noted. Recommendation: The City should review its internal control procedures to ensure there are proper review and approval processes in place over completeness and accuracy of its reporting requirements. Management's Response: The City has established a procedure where the Finance Director will extract all the appropriate documentation from MUNIS and assemble the applicable report. The Finance Director will print the report for review and approval by the Director of Accounting prior to submitting the report to the United States Treasury via the Treasury Portal.

Corrective Action Plan

FINDING 2022-003 PROGRAM ASSISTANCE LISTING NUMBER: 21.027 COVID-19 Coronavirus State & Local Fiscal Recovery Funds FEDERAL GRANTOR: U.S. Department of Treasury Criteria: The Uniform Guidance and State Single Audit Guidelines require that local entities receiving federal and state awards establish and maintain internal control designed to reasonably ensure compliance with laws, regulations, and program compliance requirements. The Uniform Guidance and State Single Audit Guidelines further require auditors to obtain an understanding of the local entity's internal control over federal and state programs. To minimize the risk of errors, internal controls should be in place for all program compliance requirements, including the preparation and submission reports, which should be reviewed and approved by a responsible party other than the original preparer. Condition/Context: The Project and Expenditure Report and the Interim Report tested were not reviewed by an independent person before submission. Cause: The City did not have internal control procedures in place requiring an independent person to review the reports before submission and ensure the reports were accurate and submitted timely. The sample was not a statistically valid sample. Effect: Reports that were submitted could contain errors. Questioned Costs: None noted. Recommendation: The City should review its internal control procedures to ensure there are proper review and approval processes in place over completeness and accuracy of its reporting requirements. Corrective Action Plan: The City has established a procedure where the Finance Director will extract all the appropriate documentation from MUNIS and assemble the applicable report. The Finance Director will print the report for review and approval by the Director of Accounting and Purchasing prior to submitting the report to the United States Treasury via the Treasury Portal. Official Responsible for Ensuring the Corrective Action Plan: Eric Miller (Finance and Administrative Services Director) and Dawn DeuVall (Director of Account and Purchasing) Planned Completion Date for the Corrective Action Plan: Summer 2023

Categories

Reporting Internal Control / Segregation of Duties

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 623138 2022-003
    Significant Deficiency

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
14.871 Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers $3.19M
20.507 Federal Transit_formula Grants $814,460
14.850 Public and Indian Housing $527,316
20.500 Federal Transit_capital Investment Grants $329,498
14.872 Public Housing Capital Fund $188,766
20.205 Highway Planning and Construction $185,093
97.044 Assistance to Firefighters Grant $172,270
14.228 Community Development Block Grants/state's Program and Non-Entitlement Grants in Hawaii $97,494
20.600 State and Community Highway Safety $56,560
14.896 Family Self-Sufficiency Program $50,893
14.239 Home Investment Partnerships Program $49,866
14.870 Resident Opportunity and Supportive Services - Service Coordinators $42,444
14.218 Community Development Block Grants/entitlement Grants $30,070
66.458 Capitalization Grants for Clean Water State Revolving Funds $12,577
16.034 Coronavirus Emergency Supplemental Funding Program $10,000
21.027 Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds $9,154
16.607 Bulletproof Vest Partnership Program $5,430
16.609 Project Safe Neighborhoods $4,702