Finding 6168 (2021-004)

CLAYTON COUNTY COMMUNITY SERVICES AUTHORITY, INC. SCHEDULE OF FINDINGS AND QUESTIONED COSTS Financial Statement Findings and Questioned Costs June 30, 2021 Comment #2021-001 INTERNAL CONTROLS OVER FINANCIAL STATEMENT PREPARATION, PROPER APPROVAL OF DISBURSEMENTS, GRANT CLOSE-OUT PROCEDURES AND REQUIRED REGULATORY REPORTING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES SHOULD IMPROVED GENERAL (Repeat Finding) As part of our auditing procedures, we assisted in the preparation of the financial statements, related disclosures, and the schedule of expenditures of federal awards of the Authority. The preparation of these financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) and Title 2 U.S. Code of Federal Regulations Part 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards, is the responsibility of the grantee. The authoritative and regulatory standards state in summary, that management should authorize, process, reconcile and close-out each grant and contract in a timely manner to ensure proper accounting and reporting of such activity in accordance with the specific professional standards and regulatory requirements. The closeout process is designed to help to reduce the risk of errors, fraud, material misstatement of financial and compliance reporting and recognition of expenditures (or revenue) in the proper period. We noted that the current system of internal controls over financial statements and compliance is not designed to ensure that the objectives are achieved. Further, the capacity of the current staff does not allow for adequate analysis of grants and contracts, other internal shared costs and support services provided, grantor receivables, deferred revenue, allocation of indirect costs and the reconciliation of bank accounts accurately and in a timely manner. Various regulatory reports were not filed accurately and in a timely manner (i.e., SF-425's for the Head Start Programs and DHS’s State budget reports for the LIHEAP programs). Specifically, revenue was recorded in excess of expenditures for the LIHEAP programs. Therefore, the risk exists that grant receivables and/or cash from the various programs are not recorded properly during the reporting period (interim and annually), which is consistent with our audit findings for the year ended June 30, 2020. The systemic cause appears to be a lack of personnel with the skills, knowledge, and experience with grant accounting and a weakness in the overall system of accounting controls, monitoring and policies and procedures not followed consistently. Context: Review of internal control structure of the organization in accordance with Government Auditing Standards. Criteria: Controls should be in place to ensure that financial statements are prepared in accordance with GAAP. The auditee shall prepare financial statements that reflect its financial position, results of operations or changes in net assets, and, where appropriate, cash flows for the fiscal year audited. The auditee shall also prepare a schedule of expenditures of Federal awards for the period covered by the auditee's financial statements. [2 CFR §200.510(a) and (b)] Accurate, current, and complete disclosure of the financial results of each Federal award or program in accordance with the reporting requirements set forth in §§200.327 Financial reporting and 200.328 Monitoring and reporting program performance. [2 CFR §200.302(b)(2)] Effect: Management may not be able to obtain complete and accurate financial statements on an interim or fiscal year basis to be used for internal or external reporting purposes. Cause: Limited personnel with knowledge and/or the ability to assist and provide needed information to aid in financial statement preparation. The implementation of a new accounting system without an adequate close-out of the old system. Recommendation: The degree to which the preparation of the financial statements and related disclosures are prepared by the independent auditor is a control deficiency is determined by the knowledge, skills and experience of those in the organization who are charged with the responsibility of its financial reporting. The Authority has a chief financial officer (CFO) and should hire additional staff (grant accountant and a general ledger accountant) to assist the new fiscal officer. The workload on the CFO is overwhelming. New staff hired should have the adequate skills, knowledge and experience to oversee and/or perform the necessary accounting functions each month. We believe that the CFO with the grant accountant and general ledger accountant should have the overall responsibility of properly reconciling and closing out the accounting system and grant activity each month in an efficient and timely manner so as to eliminate the risk of significant errors occurring. Budget-to-actual schedules should be an integral part of the grant accountant’s basic responsibilities. We further recommend that training be provided to all staff engaged in the financial reporting, allocation and reconciliation functions to ensure that a complete and accurate financial statements close-out process is achieved each month and annually. New policies and procedures should be established that conforms to the Uniform Guidance requirements. Views of Responsible Officials and Planned Corrective Actions: The management of Clayton County Community Services Authority, Inc. has reviewed the above referenced finding and fully agrees with the need for improved internal controls over financial statement preparation. Management believes that the proper approval of disbursements was adhered to during the reporting period with minimal deviation and continues to ensure proper policies are followed. Federal reports (SF425’s, LIHEAP) were filed during this period and may not have been properly reviewed during the course of this audit. For example, the LIHEAP reports were reconciled with the assistance of the State Program Specialist to ensure proper return of funds as requested by the funding agency. Management reserves the right to discuss this further as needed for the purpose of this finding. Adequate fiscal personnel staff has continued to be a challenge for the agency as management has done an exhaustive search for additional fiscal personnel and made job offers to qualified individuals only to have them decline the offer at the last moment. We have just offered the position of General Ledger Accountant to an individual and they are expected to start in two weeks. This will assist the CFO in the area of financial controls and reporting. It should also be noted that all bank reconciliations are current and being completed in a timely manner as dictated by our policies and procedures. Management continues to ensure all federal, state, and local and local regulatory reports and completed and submitted in a timely manner. As stated previously, the CFO worked directly with the State LIHEAP Program Staff to ensure proper reporting and reconciliation before returning unused funds.