Finding 582166 (2023-003)

-
Requirement
N
Questioned Costs
$1
Year
2023
Accepted
2023-12-20
Audit: 7743
Organization: Odessa R-Vii School District (MO)

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: Odessa R-VII School District's food service program has excess balances, violating non-profit operation guidelines.
  • Impacted Requirements: The District exceeded the allowable fund balance by $1,106,504 across two grants, breaching compliance with child nutrition guidelines.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Monitor fund balances closely and implement corrective actions, including purchasing equipment and ensuring accurate billing from food service contractors.

Finding Text

2023-003 Child Nutrition Cluster - CFDA No. 10.553, 10.555 Grant No. 054-041 Condition: Odessa R-VII 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 $405,902. 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: $405,902 based on the amounts in the fund balance of $721,268 above the three months operating costs of $315,366. 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 Responsible Officials & Planned Corrective Action: The District will take action to reduce the food service balance in a timely fashion. The completion date for this corrective action is May 31, 2024.2023-002 Child Nutrition Cluster - CFDA No. 10.553, 10.555 Grant No. 042-124 Condition: Odessa R-VII 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

Categories

Questioned Costs Cash Management School Nutrition Programs 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 $394,960
10.553 School Breakfast Program $125,154
10.555 National School Lunch Program $76,791
93.575 Child Care and Development Block Grant $50,050
84.367 Improving Teacher Quality State Grants $44,088
10.558 Child and Adult Care Food Program $14,677
84.425 Education Stabilization Fund $10,000
84.173 Special Education_preschool Grants $6,633
84.027 Special Education_grants to States $2,803
93.434 Every Student Succeeds Act/preschool Development Grants $800