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April 17, 2021

Audits and reports issued by the New York State Comptroller during the week ending April 16, 2021

New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli announced the following audits and reports were issued during the week ending April 16, 2021.

Click on the text highlighted in color to access the complete audit report.

MUNICIPAL AUDITS

Village of Shoreham – Board Oversight and Justice Court (Suffolk County)  Auditors found the board did not properly oversee the village’s financial operations and the Justice Court did not properly account for court funds. Auditors found 22 claims totaling $132,819 were paid without support, duplicate receipts were rarely issued and not all cash was deposited in a timely manner. The board also did not annually audit the clerk-treasurer's or court's records and reports. For the court, 70 tickets could not be accounted for, duplicate receipts were not always issued and bank reconciliations and accountability analyses were not complete or reconciled. In addition, receipts totaling $3,435 were collected and deposited but payments to the clerk-treasurer and reported to the Justice Court Fund only amounted to $3,360.

SCHOOL DISTRICT AUDITS

Hudson City School District – Information Technology (Columbia County) District officials did not adequately secure and protect its information technology (IT) systems against unauthorized use, access and loss. The board and district officials also did not adopt adequate IT policies or a disaster recovery plan. Auditors found questionable internet use on four of six computers tested. School officials also did not disable 123 of the 462 enabled network accounts auditors examined. These 123 user accounts were not needed and included generic and former employee accounts. In addition, sensitive IT control weaknesses were communicated confidentially to officials.

 

Royalton-Hartland Central School District – Information Technology Contingency Planning (Genesee County, Niagara County and Orleans County) The board and district officials have not developed and adopted a comprehensive written information technology (IT) contingency plan. The district pays $10,500 for central site infrastructure support, which includes a disaster recovery plan template, a key component of an IT contingency plan. Although the district paid for a template, officials did not obtain it. Without a comprehensive written IT contingency plan in place that is properly distributed to all responsible parties and periodically tested for efficacy, district officials have less assurance that employees will react quickly and effectively to maintain business continuity. As a result, important financial and other data could be lost, or suffer a disruption to operations.


Westhampton Beach Union Free School District – Extra-Classroom Activity Funds (Suffolk County) The extra-classroom activity clubs did not maintain adequate records. Therefore, auditors could not determine whether all funds received and disbursed were properly accounted for. Deposits were not always supported by school deposit forms or accurately completed bank deposit slips and activity logs.

 

Wyandanch Union Free School District – Budget Review (Suffolk County) Auditors found that the significant revenue and expenditure projections in the proposed budget are reasonable. District officials did implement the recommendations in Comptroller DiNapoli’s July 2020 budget review letter. The district's proposed budget complies with the tax levy limit because it includes a tax levy of $22,922,337, which is within the limits established by law.

 

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NYPPL Blogger Harvey Randall served as Principal Attorney, New York State Department of Civil Service; Director of Personnel, SUNY Central Administration; Director of Research, Governor’s Office of Employee Relations; and Staff Judge Advocate General, New York Guard. Consistent with the Declaration of Principles jointly adopted by a Committee of the American Bar Association and a Committee of Publishers and Associations, the material posted to this blog is presented with the understanding that neither the publisher nor NYPPL and, or, its staff and contributors are providing legal advice to the reader and in the event legal or other expert assistance is needed, the reader is urged to seek such advice from a knowledgeable professional.
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