Finding 51559 (2022-006)

Significant Deficiency Repeat Finding
Requirement
AB
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2022
Accepted
2023-05-30
Audit: 48358
Organization: City of Victorville (CA)

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: The City has a significant deficiency in internal controls over payroll for federal awards, specifically lacking supervisor approval on timesheets.
  • Impacted Requirements: This finding violates the Uniform Guidance requirements for allowable costs, which mandate that payroll charges must be accurately supported and approved.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Ensure all timesheets for federal awards are reviewed and approved by a supervisor to comply with documentation requirements and avoid repeat findings.

Finding Text

Federal Program Name: CDBG Entitlement Grants Cluster: Community Development Block Grant (CDBG). Assistance Listing Number: 14.218. Federal Award Identification Number and Year: B-21-MC-06-0593; B-20-MC-06-0593; B-19-MC-06-0593; B-18-MC-06-0593; B-17-MC-06-0593; B-16-MC-06-0593; Award Years 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, and 2016 Award Period: Fiscal Year 2021-2022 Type of Finding: ? Significant Deficiency in Internal Control over Compliance (Allowable Costs) ? Other Matter (Allowable Costs) Criteria or Specific Requirement: Allowable Costs: Uniform Guidance Title 2, Subtitle A, Chapter II, Part 200, Subpart E, ?200.430 requires payroll charges to be supported by a system of internal control, which provides reasonable assurance that the charges are accurate, allowable, and properly allocated. Condition: After the findings the City received in the prior year audit, the City revised the internal controls over payroll to require a supervisor's review and approval of hours charged to federal awards on the electronic timesheets, which is in line with the requirements of the Uniform Guidance. In 2 out of 12 payroll transactions tested, there was no supervisor approval of hours charged to the federal award, which was a lack of internal controls. Questioned Costs: None since hours worked were documented (except as noted in finding 2022-005), but the support for the supervisor approval was not able to be inspected and verified. Context: The payroll charges without supervisor approval totals $5,188 and occurred in 2 out of 12 transactions tested. Cause: Upon receiving the prior year finding, the City was not able to implement the payroll internal control changes for all transactions in the next fiscal year since part of the year had passed before the audit procedures could be performed. Effect: The payroll records are not in compliance with the requirements of the Uniform Guidance. Repeat Finding: Repeat of prior year finding number 2021-007. Recommendation: We recommend that the City ensure all timesheets require approval of hours charged to federal awards by a supervisor so that the City is in compliance with the Uniform Guidance payroll documentation requirements.

Corrective Action Plan

Views of Responsible Officials: Since early 2021, City Staff funded by CDBG/HOME entitlement grants have utilized electronic timesheets to track time spent working on the various programs by adjusting their weekly time entries to reflect actual time spent on a specific eligible activity. In some cases, these activities are also tracked by a Journal Entry (JE) with a description of the eligible activities and an hourly breakdown provided to supplement the JE. These tracking methods ensure amounts charged to the federal awards are accurate, allowable, and properly allocated. Additionally, both of the methods above require supervisor approval and all City staff approving electronic time sheets related to CDBG/HOME grants have been instructed to ensure time entries are correct and eligible, with technical assistance provided by the City?s CDBG/HOME grant administration staff as needed. All coding changes performed by finance department personnel will be sent via email for approval by supervisors until the payroll division can implement new procedures through the electronic time sheet system that will route approvals to supervisors through the established electronic workflow. Timesheet approval reviewers have since been updated to ensure proper supervisory personnel approves all timesheets in the event primary reviewers are absent or unable to approve.

Categories

Allowable Costs / Cost Principles Significant Deficiency Internal Control / Segregation of Duties

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 51557 2022-004
    Significant Deficiency
  • 51558 2022-005
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 51560 2022-007
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 51561 2022-008
    Significant Deficiency
  • 627999 2022-004
    Significant Deficiency
  • 628000 2022-005
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 628001 2022-006
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 628002 2022-007
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 628003 2022-008
    Significant Deficiency

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
20.205 Highway Planning and Construction $15.47M
21.027 Covid-19 Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds $1.80M
14.218 Community Development Block Grants/entitlement Grants $1.67M
20.106 Airport Improvement Program $940,527
14.218 Covid-19 Community Development Block Grants/entitlement Grants $446,317
14.239 Home Investment Partnerships Program $314,361
20.106 Covid-19 Airport Improvement Program $94,327
97.042 Emergency Management Performance Grants $21,449
16.738 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program $8,918
21.019 Covid-19 Coronavirus Relief Fund $2,139