Finding Text
2022-002 Significant Deficiency in Internal Controls over Compliance and Noncompliance with Reporting Requirements; U.S. Department of Treasury; COVID-19 Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds?Assistance Listing No. 21.027; Grant period?Year ended December 31, 2022 Criteria: The major program requires the City of Columbia Heights, Minnesota to provide a Project and Expenditure Report on an annual basis, reporting on financial data, projects funded, expenditures, and other information. Condition: During our audit, we noted that the City did not have sufficient controls in place to ensure proper reporting of total expenditures incurred by project through December 31, 2022. Questioned Costs: $0 Context: One of the projects using ARPA funding (Manhole Replacement, Pipe Repairs; pipe upsizing on TH 65) was overstated by approximately $84,000 and the other project using ARPA funding (Structural lining of 4,000 lineal feet of water main) was understated by the same amount. Repeat Finding: No Cause: This reporting error was caused by the significant deficiency in financial reporting described in Finding 2022-001 above. Effect: The amounts reported by project were incorrect for the year ending December 31, 2022. Recommendation: Refer to the recommendation in Finding No. 2022-001 above. Additionally, we recommend that the City continue efforts to thoroughly review the ARPA reporting before submission. City Response: The City concurs with the finding and the recommendation. The City notes that the misclassification between water project costs and sewer project costs in the interim grant progress report referred to above will be corrected in the next interim grant progress report filed by the City. Refer also to the City?s related response in 2022-001 above.