Finding 565840 (2024-004)

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Requirement
L
Questioned Costs
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Year
2024
Accepted
2025-06-23
Audit: 359560
Organization: Town of Haughton (LA)
Auditor: 720917129

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: The Town failed to provide necessary documentation for project expenditures and did not meet the annual report submission deadline.
  • Impacted Requirements: Compliance with reporting guidance for revenue loss and detailed project descriptions under Expenditure Category 6 (EC 6) was not achieved.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: The Town should contact the U.S. Department of Treasury to confirm reporting completion, ensure timely future submissions, and have reports independently reviewed before submission.

Finding Text

U.S. Department of Treasury - Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds – ALN 21.027 2024-004 - Reporting Criteria: Compliance and Reporting Guidance for State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds require that recipients report their amount of revenue loss from claiming the standard allowance and must also enter projects in Expenditure Category 6 (EC 6) that encompass all funds utilized under the revenue loss eligible use category, and include the applicable amounts obligated and expended for each project. Project descriptions under Category 6 (EC 6) must summarize the project(s) in sufficient detail to provide information on the major activities. Finding: The Town was unable to provide a printout of the report filed or access detailed expenditure categories in the online reporting portal to substantiate that the required project expenditures were entered and in sufficient detail to provide information on the major activities. In addition, there was no documentation of review of the annual report by someone independent of the report preparation process. Cause: The Town did not print the report when it was filed online, and was unable to access the report online in order to provide documentation that reported expenditures were entered in the required level of detail. The Town also did not submit the annual report by the required deadline. Effect: The Town was unable to provide documentation that the required elements of the Project and Expenditure Report were completed. In addition, the Town was not in compliance with the reporting requirement timeframe for submission of annual report. Recommendation: We recommend that the Town contact the U.S. Department of Treasury to ensure that all required elements of the Project and Expenditure Report have been completed. We further recommend that the Town submit future annual reports by the reporting deadline, and that such reports be reviewed and physically approved by someone independent of the report preparation process. Views of Responsible Officials and Planned Corrective Actions: The Town has attempted to contact the U.S. Department of Treasury (the Department) to verify that reporting requirements have been met but have been unable to make contact with the Department of Treasury. The Town will continue to pursue communication with the Department of Treasury to ensure reporting requirements have been met.

Corrective Action Plan

Planned Corrective Actions: The Town has attempted to contact the U.S. Department of Treasury (the Department) to verify that reporting requirements have been met but have been unable to make contact with the Department of Treasury. The Town will continue to pursue communication with the Department of Treasury to ensure reporting requirements have been met.

Categories

Reporting

Other Findings in this Audit

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
21.027 Covid 19 - Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds $1.10M
14.228 Community Development Block Grants/state's Program and Non-Entitlement Grants in Hawaii $47,061
10.664 Cooperative Forestry Assistance $12,405
16.738 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program $918