Finding 5541 (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.

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