by Alex Brooks
The Audit done by the State Comptroller’s Office for 2013 and part of 2014 has been released. It finds the Town Board to have exercised insufficient oversight of Town finances in a number of areas. [private]It found weaknesses in the financial practices of the Justice Court, in procurement practices for heating oil and diesel fuel, in handling of Transfer Station tickets and permits, in oversight of credit card purchases, and other matters.
The audit found that “The Board did not ensure that purchases were made in an economical manner.” They found that purchases of heating oil and diesel fuel were not competitively bid and that the Town could have saved more than $5,300 by using the County Contract for these purchases. It noted that other things, such as culverts and truck tires, also were not competitively bid.
The Auditors noted that sales of transfer station tickets fell significantly in 2013, and when they inquired into it, found that procedures to keep track of the sale, inventory, and accounting of ticket sales were not adequate. They recommended that the Town Board perform an annual audit of the Clerk’s records to ensure that tickets and permits are accounted for.
The Auditors identified what they called “significant internal control weaknesses in the Court’s financial operations.” It identified instances where fines collected were not properly recorded, and instances where enforcement of fine collection was lax, and deposits were not made in a timely way.
The Auditors said credit card purchases were not reviewed by the Town Board, and though they found after reviewing them that they were for appropriate Town purposes, they recommended detailed monthly review of credit card purchases to ensure purchases were all for legitimate Town purposes.
In Supervisor Krahforst’s response, he said the credit card practices have been corrected. Town procurement policies were revised and improved at the time of the audit, and fuel is being bought on state contract now.
Krahforst admitted that there was a lack of oversight and record-keeping in relation to the transfer station tickets and permits, and he said it has now been corrected.
He said the Justices were made aware of deficiencies in their financial practices at their meeting with the Auditors, and are correcting those practices.
The full audit may be viewed at the web site of the State Comptroller or by obtaining a copy from the Petersburgh Town Clerk.[/private]