Finding 5539 (2023-002)

-
Requirement
N
Questioned Costs
$1
Year
2023
Accepted
2023-12-19

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: Clinton School District's food service program has a balance exceeding three months of average expenses by $700,602, violating non-profit operation guidelines.
  • Impacted Requirements: The child nutrition compliance guidelines state that food service accounts must not maintain more than three months of operating expenses.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Monitor fund balances closely and implement corrective actions, such as purchasing necessary equipment and ensuring timely billing from the food service contractor.

Finding Text

2023-002 Child Nutrition Cluster - CFDA No. 10.553, 10.555 Grant No. 042-124 Condition: Clinton School District must operate the food service program on a non-profit basis. The District's ending food service balance exceeded three months average expenses by $700,602. Criteria: The child nutrition cluster compliance guidelines N.3 states that a school must operate the food service accounts on a non-profit basis. This indicates that no more than three months operating expenses may be maintained by the District to be considered non-profit. Effect: The District maintains funds in its food service accounts that exceed the amounts as allowed in the child nutrition guidelines. Questioned Costs: $700,602 based on the amounts in the fund balance of $1,066,215 above the three months operating costs of $365,614. Cause: Covid meal reimbursements exceeded the amounts that are normally received. Recommendation: We recommend that fund balances should be monitored to ensure that balances remain in line with child nutrition compliance requirements. Views of Since the $2,000,000 of local funds to totally remodeled the Responsible food service department at the Clinton Intermediate School Officials & Planned is not enough to offset the excess balance in the food service Corrective Action: department, our plan for reducing the program balance of an excess of $976,148.58 will be purchasing equipment and holding our contracted food service accountable for billing. During the fiscal year 2022/2023 Taher did not bill us for three months. They billed us in the 2023/2024 fiscal year2023-002 Child Nutrition Cluster - CFDA No. 10.553, 10.555 Grant No. 042-124 Condition: Clinton School District must operate the food service program on a non-profit basis. The District’s ending food service balance exceeded three months average expenses by $700,602. Criteria: The child nutrition cluster compliance guidelines N.3 states that a school must operate the food service accounts on a non-profit basis. This indicates that no more than three months operating expenses may be maintained by the District to be considered non-profit. Effect: The District maintains funds in its food service accounts that exceed the amounts as allowed in the child nutrition guidelines. Questioned Costs: $700,602 based on the amounts in the fund balance of $1,066,215 above the three months operating costs of $365,614. Cause: Covid meal reimbursements exceeded the amounts that are normally received. Recommendation: We recommend that fund balances should be monitored to ensure that balances remain in line with child nutrition compliance requirements. Views of Since the $2,000,000 of local funds to totally remodeled the Responsible food service department at the Clinton Intermediate School Officials & Planned is not enough to offset the excess balance in the food service Corrective Action: department, our plan for reducing the program balance of an excess of $976,148.58 will be purchasing equipment and holding our contracted food service accountable for billing. During the fiscal year 2022/2023 Taher did not bill us for three months. They billed us in the 2023/2024 fiscal year. In 2023/24 we paid: April 2022 on 7/6/22 $116,530.24 May 2022 on 7/6/22 $94,993.56 June 2022 on 10/25/22 $70,169.11 Total $281,692.91 I have provided a list of items that have been identified as a need for replacement in the near future. These projects will have an anticipated completion date of June 30, 2027. With the combination of the $281,692.91 of billing and the $706,000.00 of replacement equipment in the food service department we should spend down the excessive balance.

Corrective Action Plan

December 12, 2023 U.S. Department of Education Clinton School District #124 respectfully submits the following Corrective Action Plan for the year ended June 30, 2023. Contact information for the individual responsible for the corrective action: Brian Wishard, Superintendent Clinton School District #124 Independent Public Accounting Firm: Gerding, Korte & Chitwood, P.C., 723 Main Street, Boonville, MO 65233 Audit Period: Year ended June 30, 2023 The findings from the June 30, 2023, Schedule of Findings and Questioned Costs are discussed below. The findings are numbered consistently with the numbers assigned in the schedule. Significant Deficiency 2023-002 Child Nutrition Cluster Recommendation: We recommend that fund balances should be monitored to ensure that balances remain in line with child nutrition compliance requirements. Action Taken: Since the $2,000,000 of local funds to totally remodeled the food service department at the Clinton Intermediate School is not enough to offset the excess balance in the food service department, our plan for reducing the program balance of an excess of $976,148.58 will be purchasing equipment and holding our contracted food service accountable for billing. During the fiscal year 2022/2023 Taher did not bill us for three months. They billed us in the 2023/2024 fiscal year. In 2023/24 we paid: April 2022 on 7/6/22 $116,530.24 May 2022 on 7/6/22 $94,993.56 June 2022 on 10/25/22 $70,169.11 Total $281,692.91 I have provided a list of items that have been identified as a need for replacement in the near future. These projects will have an anticipated completion date of June 30, 2027. With the combination of the $281,692.91 of billing and the $706,000.00 of replacement equipment in the food service department we should spend down the excessive balance. Completion Date: June 30, 2024 Sincerely, Brian Wishard, Superintendent Clinton School District #124

Categories

Questioned Costs Cash Management Equipment & Real Property Management

Other Findings in this Audit

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
84.010 Title I Grants to Local Educational Agencies $148,310
84.032 Student Loans $137,174
84.063 Federal Pell Grant Program $116,711
84.367 Improving Teacher Quality State Grants $96,972
10.555 National School Lunch Program $80,494
84.424 Student Support and Academic Enrichment Program $76,207
12.357 Rotc Language and Culture Training Grants $72,464
84.358 Rural Education $67,040
84.027 Special Education_grants to States $44,669
84.425 Education Stabilization Fund $29,639
10.558 Child and Adult Care Food Program $23,614
93.600 Head Start $16,177
10.582 Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program $10,907
84.048 Career and Technical Education -- Basic Grants to States $9,742
84.173 Special Education_preschool Grants $534