Finding 50318 (2022-007)

Material Weakness
Requirement
P
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2022
Accepted
2023-06-27
Audit: 52637
Organization: Catron County (NM)

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: The County lacks proper maintenance of grant documentation, leading to potential ineligible expenditures and untimely reimbursement requests.
  • Impacted Requirements: The County is not adhering to funding agreements that mandate strict accountability for all receipts, disbursements, and documentation related to grant projects.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Establish a detailed tracking system for grant activities, including expenditures and supporting documents, with a target completion date of June 30, 2023.

Finding Text

CURRENT YEAR FINDINGS AND QUESTIONED COSTS ? MAJOR FEDERAL AWARD PROGRAM AUDIT: Federal Agency U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Assistance Listing Number 20.106 ? Airport Improvement Projects Grant Number 3-35-0034-008-2020 Questioned Costs None 2022-007 Lack of Maintenance of Grant Documentation (Material Weakness) Statement of Condition ? During our test work of federal award reimbursements and expenditures and New Mexico capital Outlay Appropriations, documentation and supporting invoices and reimbursement requests as well as grant award agreements were not available or present in County records. Reimbursement requests are not timely. County is not following award guidelines to maintain the accounting of grant activity for reimbursement requests, expenditures and supporting documentation. The County has numerous awards that are not managed and status of awards is not current. Criteria ? Funding agreements require strict accountability for all receipts and disbursements and to maintain all records and documents relative to projects. Effect ? Increased likelihood of ineligible expenditures occurring for awards, failure to request reimbursements timely or prior to expiration of funding, excess expenditures beyond budget and award limits, expiration of awards prior to completion of the projects. Cause ? Lack of training and accountability of management Recommendation ? The County should maintain contemporaneous appropriate grant and project schedules showing all activity by date to include expenditures, reimbursement requests and receipts with clear supporting documentation including correspondence with grantors and any grant award agreements and grant extensions. Management?s Response ? The County hired a Finance Director. Even though he spent most of his first eight months as Interim county Manager, he was able to assemble grant documents and collect grant funds that had been waiting for years to be claimed. As we now also have a full time County Manager, this part of the Finance Director?s job should improve even more. Responsible Position: Financial Director Timeline: June 30, 2023 PRIOR YEAR FINDINGS AND QUESTIONED COSTS ? MAJOR FEDERAL AWARD PROGRAM AUDIT: None.

Corrective Action Plan

Sharon Armijo Clerk ? PO Box 197 (575) 533-6400 Joyce Laney Treasurer ? PO Box 407 (575) 533-6384 Lillie Laney Assessor ? PO Box 416 (575) 533-6577 Keith Hughes Sheriff ? PO Box 467 (575) 533-6222 Lucinda Howell Probate Judge 100 Main St. Reserve, New Mexico 87830 Buster F. Green Commissioner District No. 1 Audrey H. McQueen Commissioner District No. 2 Haydn Forward Commissioner District No. 3 Commission Office PO Box 507 ? (575) 533-6423 FAX (575) 533-6433 Loren Cushman County Manager 2022-001 (2018-003) Procurement of Goods and Services (Significant Deficiency) Condition ? During our test work of a sample of 35 transactions we noted the following: County not following disbursements policy and procedures: ? No PO, PO not attached (6 of 35) P cards (6 of 20) ? 1 month ? no documentation of commission review of monthly check register ? Invoice referenced but not attached ? Taxes paid on goods (6 instances) ? 2 instances with no supporting documents Procurement ? (under $20,000) ? 1 No PO ? 1 No supporting documents Procurement ? (> $20,000 & <$60,000) ? 3 instances of only 1 quote ? 2 No supporting documents The County continues to have documentation retention or application issues, no progress from prior year. Corrective Action Plan ? Staff has been proactive in ensuring that purchase orders and invoices are attached to checks and has created a filing system for processed checks. Staff has been proactive in confirming receipts of goods/services, requesting receipts from purchasers, and generally following the NM Procurement Code and County Procurement Policy. Checks are currently being backed up electronically along with purchase orders and other supporting documentation of purchase receipt and justification. Staff has been proactive in obtaining NTTC forms for businesses and utilizing vendors with current state contracts. Staff has created a binder for documenting monthly review of purchases by Commission including maintain original signatures of Commission members. In instances where procurement has found it impossible to obtain three quotations, staff has maintained adequate documentation of best efforts made to obtain said quotes and has conversed with legal to determine that best efforts is adequate in these instances. Responsible Position: Chief Procurement Officer/Accounts Payable Timeline for Correction: Completed Catron County Corrective Action Plan (continued) 2022-002 (2018-006) Local Government Budget Management System (LGBMS) Reporting Incomplete (Other Non-Compliance Repeated with modification. Condition ? The County did not include all budget expenditures in the LGBMS system. The County reported total budgeted expenditures for their original budget in LGBMS of $10,965,065. The actual budget amounts that should have been reported were $11,239,091. The County did not present a revenue budget to the Commission for approval when the Commission approved the expenditure budget. In addition the County did not enter the revenue budget into the budget to actual reporting system to aid in budget monitoring. The County continued to have budget compliance, monitoring and reporting issues in the current year, and therefore no progress has been made regarding budget in the current year. Corrective Action Plan ? We did hire a Finance Director and then almost immediately put him to work as Interim County Manager. A full time County Manager finally started March 22, 2023. The Finance Director?s goal is to have the County?s reporting to the DFA a routine matter ? accurate and on time. Responsible Position: Finance Director Timeline for Correction: June 30, 2024 2022-003 (2018-002) Maintenance of Capital Assets (Material Weakness) Repeated. Condition ? ? Construction In Process is not maintained and lacks a consistent process for adding to the depreciation schedule. ? Depreciation schedule was not updated or calculated for the entire fiscal year. The County digressed in its maintenance of capital asset records and documentation. Corrective Action Plan ? One of the goals of the new Finance Director is a complete review of Catron County?s capital asset records. Responsible Position: Finance Director Timeline for Correction: June 30, 2024 Catron County Corrective Action Plan (continued) 2022-004 Personnel File Maintenance (Significant Deficiency) Statement of Condition ? We tested a sample of 10 Payroll transactions and noted the following: ? Three instances (3 of 10) where the current payrate was not substantiated by a personnel action form. ? One personnel file did not include any current documents ? all documents were for 2017 and prior. ? One personnel file lacked a PERA membership application. Corrective Action Plan ? The County has made available training through NM EDGE where we can learn to improve procedures, and best practices to develop strategies on completing internal controls. Auditors did provide valuable feedback on what was necessary to complete Personnel files and those suggestions will be implemented form there on. Responsible Position: HR/Payroll Clerk Timeline: June 30, 2023 2022-005 Solid Waste Receipts Audit Trail (Significant Deficiency) Statement of Condition ? The Solid Waste department?s receipting system lacks a clear audit trail. ? No schedule indicating receipts by customer, only a total page of deposit amount (5 deposits for dump fees totaling $9,696) ? Cash deposits were co-mingled with other cash deposits for the day and therefore not traceable specifically to solid waste cash receipts (all solid waste receipts ? 10 receipts tested totaling $19,392) ? No receipts are issued for each customer (receipts only issued upon customer request) No copies or records of receipts that were issued were maintained (all solid waste receipts ? 10 receipts tested totaling $19,392) Corrective Action Plan ? 1. Solid Waste Clerk will attach a corresponding customer receipt to all spreadsheets. 2. Treasurer?s Office has reconciled the second issue listed above. 3. Convenience Center Attendants will immediately receipt all customers. Responsible Position: Solid Waste Clerk/Coordinator Timeline: April 30, 2023 2022-006 Travel and Perdiem Procedures and Regulations Not Properly Followed (Other Non-Compliance) Statement of Condition ? We tested a sample of 10 travel transactions and noted the following: ? 5 instances where no travel form (per policy) was attached to approve travel $2730.64. ? 1 instance where mileage rate reimbursed was $.46 per mile rather that $.45 per mile ? total over allowable reimbursement was $1.25. Corrective Action Plan ? New travel forms have been created pursuant to DFA Per Diem rates from Memo dated April 12, 2022. New staff has been proactive in ensuring that travel requests are handled timely and properly. Responsible Position: Accounts Payable Timeline: Completed Catron County Corrective Action Plan (continued) 2022-007 Lack of Maintenance of Grant Documentation (Material Weakness) Statement of Condition ? During our test work of federal award reimbursements and expenditures and New Mexico capital Outlay Appropriations, documentation and supporting invoices and reimbursement requests as well as grant award agreements were not available or present in County records. Reimbursement requests are not timely. County is not following award guidelines to maintain the accounting of grant activity for reimbursement requests, expenditures and supporting documentation. The County has numerous awards that are not managed and status of awards is not current. Corrective Action Plan ? The County hired a Finance Director. Even though he spent most of his first eight months as Interim county Manager, he was able to assemble grant documents and collect grant funds that had been waiting for years to be claimed. As we now also have a full time County Manager, this part of the Finance Director?s job should improve even more. Responsible Position: Financial Director Timeline: June 30, 2023 2022-008 (2020-007) Late Audit Report ? (Other Non-Compliance) Repeated with modification Statement of Condition ? The audit report was submitted to the State Auditor?s Office after the county due date of December 1, 2021. This finding remains essentially the same as prior year. Corrective Action Plan ? We are glad the auditor is taking part of the responsibility here. However, if the County can keep a consistent staff in the Commission Office following proper procedures, the audit will definitely go smoother and quicker. Responsible Position: Finance Director Timeline: June 30, 2024

Categories

Cash Management Eligibility Material Weakness Reporting

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 626760 2022-007
    Material Weakness

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
10.665 Schools and Roads - Grants to States $1.63M
20.106 Airport Improvement Program $443,880
21.027 Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds $186,976
15.227 Distribution of Receipts to State and Local Governments $13,889
21.019 Coronavirus Relief Fund $3,725