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AUDIT REPORT MOUNTAIN REGIONAL LIBRARY
YOUNG HARRIS, GEORGIA YEAR ENDED JUNE 30,1999 ,-~------------------_../
STATE OF GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF AUDITS AND ACCOUNTS
254 WASHINGTON STREET
ATLANTA, GEORGIA 30334-8400

MOUNTAIN REGIONAL LIBRARY - TABLE OF CONTENTS-

SECTION I

FINANCIAL

INDEPENDENT AUDITOR'S COMBINED REPORT ON GENERAL PURPOSE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

EXHIBITS

GENERAL PURPOSE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

A BALANCE SHEET

ALL FUND TYPES

2

B STATEMENT OF REVENUES, EXPENDITURES AND

CHANGES IN FUND BALANCES

ALL GOVERNMENTAL FUND TYPES

3

C STATEMENT OF REVENUES, EXPENDITURES AND

CHANGES IN FUND BALANCES - BUDGET AND ACTUAL

GENERAL FUND

4

D NOTES TO THE GENERAL PURPOSE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

5

ADDITIONAL FINANCIAL INFORMATION

SCHEDULES

SCHEDULE OF REVENUE

1

STATE

12

2

LOCAL

13

3 SCHEDULE OF SALARIES AND TRAVEL

14

SECTIONll FINDINGS AND QUESTIONED COSTS SCHEDULE OF FINDINGS AND QUESTIONED COSTS

SECTION I FINANCIAL

RUSSELL W. HINTON
STATE AUDITOR
(404) 656-2174

DEPARTMENT OF AUDITS AND ACCOUNTS
254 Washington Street, S.w., Suite 214 Atlanta. Georgia 30334-X400
June 21, 2000

Honorable Roy E. Barnes, Governor Members of the General Assembly Members of the Board ofRegents of the University System of Georgia
and Director and Members of the Mountain Regional Library Board
INDEPENDENT AUDITOR'S COMBINED REPORT ON GENERAL PURPOSE
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We have audited the accompanying general purpose financial statements of the Mountain Regional Library Board, as of and for the year ended June 30, 1999, as listed in the table of contents. These general purpose financial statements are the responsibility ofthe Mountain Regional Library's management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these general purpose financial statements based on our audit.
We conducted our audit in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the general purpose financial statements are free of material misstatement. An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. An audit also includes assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.
As described in the notes to the general purpose financial statements, the Library's financial statements have been prepared using a certain accounting practice and policy which, in our opinion, varies in some respects from generally accepted accounting principles. This variance is described as follows:
* The general purpose financial statements of the Library did not contain a General Fixed Assets
Account Group to account for property, equipment and inexhaustible collections and books owned by the Library which should be included to conform to generally accepted accounting principles.
The aggregate effects on the general purpose financial statements of this omission has not been determined, but is believed to be material.
99ARL-42A

In our opinion, except for the effects on the general purpose financial statements of the matter referred to in the third paragraph, the general purpose financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Mountain Regional Library as ofJune 30,1999, and the results of its operations for the year then ended, in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles.
Our audit was performed for the purpose of forming an opinion on the general purpose financial statements of the Mountain Regional Library taken as a whole. The accompanying financial schedules (Schedules 1 through 3), as listed in the table of contents, are presented for purposes of additional analysis and are not a required part of the general purpose financial statements. Such information has been subjected to the auditing procedures applied in the audit of the general purpose financial statements and in our opinion such information is fairly presented in all material respects in relation to the general purpose financial statements taken as a whole.
A copy of this report has been filed as a permanent record in the office of the State Auditor and made available to the press ofthe State, as provided for by Official Code of Georgia Annotated Section 50-6-24.
Respectfully submitted,
1(j ..:B-
Ru sell W. Hinton State Auditor
RWH:das 99ARL-42A

MOUNTAIN REGIONAL LIBRARY

MOUNTAIN REGIONAL LIBRARY BALANCE SHEET ALL FUND TYPES JUNE 30,1999

EXHIBIT "A"

ASSETS Cash and Cash Equivalents Investments Accounts Receivable

GOVERNMENTAL FUND TYPE GENERAL FUND

TOTALS

(Memorandum Only)

JUNE 30,1999

JUNE 30, 1998

$

152,536.99 $

152,536.99 $

81,879.70

31,280.00

31,280.00

31,280.00

25,000.00

25,000.00

Total Assets

$

FUND EQUITY

Fund Balances

Reserved

For Purchase of Library Books and Materials

$

Unreserved

Undesignated

208,816.99 $

208,816.99 $

113,159.70

48.543.25 $ 160.273.74

48.543.25 $ 160,273.74

48,116.37 65,043.33

Total Fund Equity

$

208.816.99 $

208,816.99 $ ===1=13=:,=15=:9=.7=0=

The notes to the general purpose financial statements are an integral part of this statement. -2-

MOUNTAIN REGIONAL LIBRARY, STATEMENT OF REVENUES, EXPENDITURES AND CHANGES IN FUND BALANCES
ALL GOVERNMENTAL FUND TYPES YEAR ENDED JUNE 30,1999

EXHIBIT "B"

REVENUES
State Funds Federal Funds Local Funds Other Funds
Total Revenues
EXPENDITURES
Current Public Services Technical Services Circulation Support Services Maintenance and Operation Information Technology
Total Expenditures
Excess of Revenues over (under) Expenditures
FUND BALANCE JULY 1
FUND BALANCE JUNE 30

GENERAL FUND

TOTALS (Memorandum Only)
YEAR ENDED JUNE 30,1999 JUNE 30,1998

$ 473,845.16 $ 473,845.16 $ 315,820.88

42,155.50

232,330.86

232,330.86

206,779.10

22,176.82

22,176.82

26,263.08

$ 728,352.84 $ 728,352.84 $ 591,018.56

$ 297,154.45 $ 297,154.45 $ 140,691.60

22,050.82

22,050.82

27,161.92

137,793.63

264,973.17

264,973.17

238,302.55

46,097.82

46,097.82

30,267.18

2,419.29

2,419.29

$ 632,695.55 $ 632,695.55 $ 574,216.88

$ 95,657.29 $ 95,657.29 $ 16,801.68

113,159.70

113,159.70

96,358.02

$ 208,816.99 $ 208,816.99 $ 113,159.70

The notes to the general purpose financial statements are an integral part of this statement. -3-

MOUNTAIN REGIONAL LIBRARY STATEMENT OF REVENUES, EXPENDITURES AND CHANGES IN FUND BALANCES
BUDGET AND ACTUAL GENERAL FUND
YEAR ENDED JUNE 30,1999

EXHIBIT"C"

REVENUES
State Funds Local Funds Other Funds
Total Revenues
EXPENDITURES
Current Public Services Technical Services Support Services Maintenance and Operation Information Technology
Total Expenditures
Excess of Revenues over (under) Expenditures
FUND BALANCE JULY 1,1998
FUND BALANCE JUNE 30, 1999

BUDGET

ACTUAL

$ 492,019,10 $ 473,845.16

232,830.86

232,330.86

5,020,00

22,176.82

$ 729,869.96 $ 728,352.84

$ 391,511.56 $ 297,154.45

25,107.53

22,050.82

272,088.93

264,973.17

39,172.20

46,097.82

4,400.00

2,419.29

$ 732,280.22 $ 632,695.55

$

-2,410.26 $ 95,657.29

96,325.52

113,159.70

$

93,915.26 $ 208,816.99

The notes to the general purpose financial statements are an integral part of this statement. -4-

MOUNTAIN REGIONAL LIBRARY

EXHIBIT "D"

NOTES TO THE GENERAL PURPOSE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

JUNE 30, 1999

Note 1: SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
REPORTING ENTITY
The Mountain Regional Library (Library) operates pursuant to Official Code of Georgia Annotated Sections 20-5-40 through 20-5-59 to provide public library services with costs shared by participating local governmental agencies and grants from the State of Georgia. With the exception of the departure from generally accepted accounting principles disclosed in these notes, the financial statements of the Library have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles as applied to governmental units and unless otherwise disclosed in these notes, the financial statements present all fund types and account groups of the Library.
The Library Board consists of 15 members; 7 members appointed by Fannin County Library Board, 4 members appointed by Towns County Library Board and 4 members appointed by Union County Library Board. The Library Board is without authority to determine the amount of its funding, except by submission of budget requests to local governmental units from which the Library receives support and to the State of Georgia for State and Federal funding. Membership in the Library and participation in library services is at the discretion of each participating governmental agency. The Library Board has the power to designate management, the power to retain unreserved fund balances of local and other funds for continued operations and is the lowest level of oversight responsibility for the Library's operations. The Mountain Regional Library is therefore determined to be a joint venture.
FUND ACCOUNTING
The Library uses a fund to report on its financial position and the results of its operations. Fund accounting is designed to demonstrate legal compliance and to aid financial management by segregating transactions related to certain governmental functions or activities.
A fund is a separate accounting entity with a self-balancing set of accounts.
General Fixed Assets, which includes the Library's inexhaustible collections and books, are recorded as expenditures in the various funds at the time of purchase. A General Fixed Assets Account Group is not presently maintained by the Library. To conform to generally accepted accounting principles, a General Fixed Assets Account Group should be maintained for reporting the cost of assets acquired by governmental fund types.
The general purpose financial statements account for all State, Local and Other funds under control of the Library, in compliance with generally accepted accounting principles applicable to governmental units, unless otherwise disclosed in these notes. The fund presented in this report is as follows:
GOVERNMENTAL FUND TYPE - used to account for all of the Library's general activities. The Governmental Fund Type includes:

-5-

MOUNTAIN REGIONAL LIBRARY

EXHIBIT "D"

NOTES TO THE GENERAL PURPOSE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

JUNE 30,1999

Note 1: SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
GENERAL FUND - the fund used to account for all financial resources of the Library. These transactions relate to resources obtained and used for services provided by a Library.
BASIS OF ACCOUNTING
The accounting and financial reporting treatment applied to a fund is determined by its measurement focus. All governmental funds are accounted for using a current financial resources measurement focus. With this measurement focus, only current assets and current liabilities are generally included on the balance sheet. Operating statements of these funds present increases (i.e., revenues and other financing sources) and decreases (i.e., expenditures and other financing uses) in net current assets. Their reported fund balance is considered a measure of available spendable resources.
Liabilities which are expected to be financed from available spendable resources are reported as liabilities in the governmental funds.
Governmental funds are accounted for using the modified accrual basis of accounting under which:
Revenues are recognized when susceptible to accrual (i.e., when they become both measurable and available). "Measurable" means the amount ofthe transaction can be determined and "available" means collectible within the current period or soon enough thereafter to be used to pay liabilities of the current period. Those revenues considered susceptible to accrual are intergovernmental grants and investment income.
Expenditures are generally recognized when the related fund liability is incurred.
BUDGET
The Mountain Regional Library's budget is a complete financial plan for the Library's fiscal year and is based upon estimates of expenditures together with probable funding sources. There is no statutory prohibition regarding overexpenditure of the budget at any level. The budget for all governmental funds is prepared by fund, function and object. The legal level of budget control was established by the Library at the aggregate level. The budget for governmental funds was prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles.
The budget process begins when the Library's administration prepares a tentative aggregated budget for the Board's approval. After approval of this tentative budget by the Board, copies are sent to all local funding agencies. After funding approval is received from all local funding agencies, the Board makes revisions as necessary and adopts the budget. The budget is then submitted to the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia as a part of the Library's annual application for State aid. The Board may increase or decrease the budget at any time during the year. All unexpended budget authority lapses at fiscal year end.

- 6-

MOUNTAIN REGIONAL LIBRARY

EXHIBIT "D"

NOTES TO THE GENERAL PURPOSE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

JUNE 30, 1999

Note 1: SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS
COMPOSITION OF DEPOSITS Cash and cash equivalents consist of deposits in authorized financial institutions. Georgia Laws authorize the Library to deposit its funds in one or more solvent banks, insured Federal savings and loan associations, or insured State chartered building and loan associations.
INVESTMENTS
COMPOSITION OF INVESTMENTS Investments made by the Library in nonparticipating interest-earning contracts (such as certificates ofdeposit) and repurchase agreements are reported at cost. Participating interest-earning contracts and money market investments with a maturity at purchase of one year or less are reported at amortized cost. Both participating interest-earning contracts and money market investments with a maturity at purchase greater than one year are reported at fair value. The Official Code of Georgia Annotated Section 36-83-4 authorizes the Library to invest its funds. In selecting among options for investment or among institutional bids for deposits, the highest rate of return shall be the obj ective, given equivalent conditions of safety and liquidity. Funds may be invested in the following:
(1) Obligations issued by the State of Georgia or by other states,
(2) Obligations issued by the United States government,
(3) Obligations fully insured or guaranteed by the United States government or a United States government agency,
(4) Obligations of any corporation of the United States government,
(5) Prime banker's acceptances,
(6) The Local Government Investment Pool administered by the State of Georgia, Office of Treasury and Fiscal Services,
(7) Repurchase agreements, and
(8) Obligations of other political subdivisions of the State of Georgia.
RECEIVABLES
Receivables consist of grant reimbursements due on State or other grants for expenditures made but not reimbursed, allotted funds from participating local governments, and other receivables disclosed from information available. Receivables are recorded when either the asset or revenue recognition criteria has been
-7-

MOUNTAIN REGIONAL LIBRARY

EXHIBIT "D"

NOTES TO THE GENERAL PURPOSE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

JUNE 30, 1999

Note 1: SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
met. Receivables recorded on the general purpose financial statements do not include any amounts which would necessitate the need for an allowance for uncollectible receivables.
COMPENSATED ABSENCES
Compensated absences represent obligations of the Library relating to employees' rights to receive compensation for future absences based upon services already rendered. This obligation relates only to vesting accumulating leave in which payment is probable and can be reasonably estimated. No liability has been recorded in the individual funds for the current portion of this obligation as this amount is deemed immaterial to the general purpose financial statements.
Additionally, the dollar value of accumulated compensated absences at June 30, which will be payable from future resources has not been recorded in the General Long-Term Debt Account Group as this liability is also deemed to be immaterial to the fair presentation of these financial statements.
MEMORANDUM ONLY - TOTAL COLUMNS
Total columns on the general purpose financial statements are captioned "Memorandum Only" to indicate that they are presented only to facilitate financial analysis. Data in these columns do not present financial position or results of operations in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles, nor is such data comparable to a consolidation.
Note 2: DEPOSITS
COLLATERALIZATION OF DEPOSITS Official Code of Georgia Annotated (OCGA) Section 45-8-12 provides that there shall not be on deposit at any time in any depository for a time longer than ten days a sum of money which has not been secured by surety bond, by guarantee of insurance, or by collateral. The aggregate of the face value of such surety bond and the market value of securities pledged shall be equal to not less than 110 percent ofthe public funds being secured after the deduction ofthe amount ofdeposit insurance. OCGA Section 45-8-11 (b) provides an officer holding public funds may, in his discretion, waive the requirement for security L'l the case of operating funds placed in demand deposit checking accounts.
Acceptable security for deposits consists of anyone of or any combination of the following:
(1) Surety bond signed by a surety company duly qualified and authorized to transact business within the State of Georgia,
(2) Insurance on accounts provided by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation,

-8-

MOUNTAIN REGIONAL LIBRARY

EXHIBIT "D"

NOTES TO THE GENERAL PURPOSE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

JUNE 30, 1999

Note 2: DEPOSITS

(3) Bonds, bills, notes, certificates of indebtedness or other direct obligations of the United States or of the State 0 f Georgia,

(4) Bonds, bills, notes, certificates of indebtedness or other obligations of the counties or municipalities of the State of Georgia,

(5) Bonds of any public authority created by the laws of the State of Georgia, providing that the statute that created the authority authorized the use of the bonds for this purpose,

(6) Industrial revenue bonds and bonds of development authorities created by the laws of the State of Georgia, and

(7) Bonds, bills, notes, certificates of indebtedness, or other obligations of a subsidiary corporation of the United States government, which are fully guaranteed by the United States government both as to principal and interest or debt obligations issued by the Federal Land Bank, the Federal Home Loan Bank, the Federal Intermediate Credit Bank, the Central Bank for Cooperatives, the Farm Credit Banks, the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Association, and the Federal National Mortgage Association.

CATEGORIZAnON OF DEPOSITS At June 30, 1999, the bank balances were $224,460.13. The amounts ofthe total bank balances are classified into three categories of credit risk:

Category 1 - Cash that is insured (e.g., Federal depository insurance) or collateralized with securities held by the Library or by the Library's agent in the Library's name.
Category 2 - Cash collateralized with securities held by the pledging financial institution's trust department or agent in the Library's name.
Category 3 - Uncollateralized deposits. (This includes any bank balance that is collateralized with securities held by the pledging financial institution, or by its trust department or agent but not in the Library's name.)

The Library's deposits are classified by risk category at June 30, 1999, as follows:

Risk Category
1 2 3
Total

Bank Balance

$ 202,288.03

~

22,172.10

0.00

$ 224.460.13

-9-

MOUNTAIN REGIONAL LIBRARY

EXHIBIT liD"

NOTES TO THE GENERAL PURPOSE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

JUNE 30, 1999

Note 3: RISK MANAGEMENT

The Library is exposed to various risks ofloss related to torts; theft of, damage to, and destruction of assets; errors or omissions; job related illness or injuries to employees; natural disaster; and unemployment compensation.

The Library has obtained commercial insurance for risk of loss associated with torts, assets, errors or omissions and job related illness or injuries to employees. The Library has neither significantly reduced coverage for these risks nor incurred losses (settlements) which exceeded the Library's insurance coverage in any of the past three years.

The Library has elected to self-insure for all losses related to natural disaster. The Library has nC't experienced any losses related to this risk in the past three years.

The Library is self-insured with regard to unemployment compensation claims. The Library accounts for claims within the General Fund with expenditure and liability being reported when it is probable that a loss has occurred, and the amount of that loss can be reasonably estimated. The Library has not experienced any unemployment compensation claims during the last two years.

The Library has purchased a surety bond to provide additional insurance coverage as follows:

Position Covered

Amount

All Employees

$ 10,000.00

Note 4: ACCUMULATED EMPLOYEES' LEAVE

The Library's full-time employees earn annual leave according to their length of service ranging from 10 to 20 days per year with a maximum accumulation of 30 days. Part-time regular employees earn annual leave on a pro-rata basis. All unused leave is paid to employees, at their current rate of pay, upon retirement or termination of employment. See Note 1 - Compensated Absences

Note 5: RETIREMENT PLANS

TEACHERS RETIREMENT SYSTEM OF GEORGIA (TRS)

TRS PLAN DESCRIPTION Substantially all librarians and clerical personnel employed by regional and county libraries are covered by the Teachers Retirement System of Georgia (TRS), which is a cost-sharing multiple employer defined benefit pension plan. TRS provides service retirement, disability retirement and survivors benefits for its members in accordance with State statute. The Teachers Retirement System of Georgia issues a separate stand alone financial audit report and a copy can be obtained from the Georgia Department of Audits and Accounts.

- 10-

MOUNTAIN REGIONAL LIBRARY

EXHIBIT "D"

NOTES TO THE GENERAL PURPOSE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

JUNE 30, 1999

Note 5: RETIREMENT PLANS

TEACHERS RETIREMENT SYSTEM OF GEORGIA (TRS)

TRS CONTRIBUTIONS REQUIRED AND MADE Employees ofthe Library who are covered by TRS are required by State statute to contribute 5% oftheir gross earnings to TRS. The Library makes monthly employer contributions to TRS at rates adopted by the TRS Board of Trustees in accordance with State statute and as advised by their independent actuary. The required employer contribution rate is 11.95% and employer contributions for the current fiscal year and the preceding two fiscal years are as follows:

Fiscal Year

Percentage Contributed

Required Contribution

1999 1998 1997

100% 100% 100%

$ 37,244.60 $ 33,909.49 $ 30,690.93

- 11 -

MOUNTAIN REGIONAL LIBRARY SCHEDULE OF STATE REVENUE
YEAR ENDED JUNE 30,1999
AGENCY/FUNDING GRANTS Technical and Adult Education, Georgia Department of Public Libraries Salaries Travel Library Materials Maintenance and Operation Community Affairs, Georgia Department of Pass-Through Towns County Board of Commissioners Local Assistance Grant (1) CONTRACT Technical and Adult Education, Georgia Department of Children's Reading Initiative
(1) The purpose of the funds were for the purchase of a Bookmobile.

SCHEDULE "1"

GOVERNMENTAL FUND TYPE GENERAL FUND

$

214,597.16

6,000.00

27,874.00

23,274.00

100,000.00

102,100.00 $ ===4";;7;",;;3~,8;",;4,;;;;5';.;,16;;;,,

See notes to the general purpose finCl;ncial statements.

- 12-

MOUNTAIN REGIONAL LIBRARY SCHEDULE OF LOCAL REVENUE
YEAR ENDED JUNE 30,1999
LOCAL SOURCES
Boards of Commissioners Fannin County Towns County Union County
Boards of Education Fannin County Towns County Union County
City Governments Blue Ridge Hiawassee McCaysville Mineral Bluff Morganton Young Harris

SCHEDULE "2"

GOVERNMENTAL FUND TYPE GENERAL FUND

$

43,040.36

33,803.20

38,121.87

43,040.36 33,803.20 38,121.87

500.00 200.00 500.00 100.00 100.00 1,000.00

$

232,330.86

See notes to the general purpose financial statements.

- 13-

MOUNTAIN REGIONAL LIBRARY SCHEDULE OF SALARIES AND TRAVEL
YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 1999

SCHEDULE "3"

NAME
Ash, Brendle, Burchardt, Carney, Chesnut, Clark, Collins, Fatora, Foster, Haymore, Howell, Keys. Leverett, Lynch, Nelson, Nichols, Phillips, Steigerwalt, Sutphin, Tallent, Weaver, Wood,

WilmaB. Mary Sue Sandra L. Michele L. Mary Alice Teddy P. Sue C. Elaine K. Linda M. Teresa P. Donna W. Peggy A. Joann Joann C. Edna Earl Betty Jean Deborah C. Elizabeth Dorothea J. Barbara Nannette M. Sandra D,

TITLE CATEGORY
Librarian Library Assistant Library Assistant Library Assistant Library Assistant Processing Clerk Library Assistant Circulation Clerk Children's Service Coordinator Director Assistant Director Bookmobile Driver Library Assistant Library Assistant Library Assistant Bookmobile Assistant Branch Manager Library Assistant Librarian Library Assistant Library Assistant Library Assistant

SALARIES

TRAVEL

$ 43,951,20 $ 6,986.00 2,629.58 9,727.20 861.00 13,780.80 15,023.60
15,868.80 9,666.30
47,155.10 44,199.60 13,840.20
2,226.00 7,838.50 6,368.40 6,941.20 11,216.70 2,900.80 40,506.90 8,019.20 10,580.45
404.25

121.50 4.25
8.22
4.27 17.51 22.50 1,354.47 4,551.03 1,091.99 256.57
53.22
237.34

Totals per Report

$ 320,691.78 $==7=,7=2=:2=.8==7

See notes to the general purpose financial statements.

- 14-

SECTION II FINDINGS AND QUESTIONED COSTS

MOUNTAIN REGIONAL LIBRARY SCHEDULE OF FINDINGS AND QUESTIONED COSTS
YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 1999
P~ORYEAWCURRENTYEAR
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS Inadequate Separation of Duties Finding Control Number: 7392-93-01
The audit report for the year ended June 30, 1998, stated that the Library did not provide for adequate separation of employee duties in the performance of accounting functions and related procedures. For the year under review, our audit noted no improvement for separation of duties in the performance of the following accounting functions and related procedures:
(1) The check signing function was not separated from the cash disbursement function. In addition, prepared checks were not reviewed by someone other than the preparer before the signature was affixed.
(2) The deposit preparation function was not separated from the cash receipting function. No one independent of the cash and financial records prepares a listing of checks to be compared to the deposit ticket or cash journal.
(3) Reconciliation of the bank account is not performed by someone independent of the general ledger function.
These conditions were a result of management's decision to limit the number of administrative staff made responsible for accounting functions. The Library should review the accounting procedures in place, design procedures which would enhance segregation of duties relative to the above control functions, and implement those procedures to strengthen the internal control over the accounting functions.
GENERAL FIXED ASSETS Failure to Maintain General Fixed Assets Account Group Finding Control Number: 7392-93-02
The audit report for the year ended June 30, 1998, noted that the management of the Mountain Regional Library had chosen not to maintain a system-wide General Fixed Assets Account Group within the formal accounting records as required by generally accepted accounting principles. In the year under review, the Library did not establish a General Fixed Assets Account Group within the formal accounting records. This condition results in the general purpose financial statements of the Library being incomplete and not in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. Appropriate action should be taken by the Library to establish accounting controls and procedures to provide for maintenance of a General Fixed Assets Account Group. These subsidiary records should include an inventory ofland, buildings equipment, and inexhaustible collections and books owned by the Library and should include, but may not be limited to, date acquired, acquisition cost, estimated replacement cost, location and description. Detailed records should be maintained of all additions and deletions to the General Fixed Assets Account Group.