BOROUGH OF CLOSTER BERGEN COUNTY, NEW JERSEY COMPREHENSIVE ANNUAL FINANCIAL REPORT YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2010_part10 potx

BOROUGH OF CLOSTER SCHEDULE OF FINDINGS AND RESPONSES CONT'D FOR THE YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2010 This section identifies the significant deficiencies, material weaknesses, and instances

BOROUGH OF CLOSTER SCHEDULE OF FINDINGS AND RESPONSES (CONT'D) FOR THE YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2010

This section identifies the significant deficiencies, material weaknesses, and instances of noncompliance related to the financial statements that are required to be reported in accordance with Chapter 5.18-5.20 ofGovernment Auditing Standards.

Finding 2010-2

Our audit revealed that purchase orders are not always issued prior to commitments being incurred

Criteria or Specific Requirement:

NJAC requires the Borough to maintain an encumbrance accounting system

Condition:

Certain municipal departments are ordering goods and services prior to the issuance of a purchase order

Cause:

Unknown

Effect:

Commitments may exist and not be recorded in the financial statements

Recommendation:

The encumbrance system be enhanced to ensure that purchase orders are issued prior to incurring expenditures Management's Response:

Management has reviewed this finding and has indicated appropriate corrective action will be implemented

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BOROUGH OF CLOSTER SCHEDULE OF FINDINGS AND RESPONSES (CONT'D) FOR THE YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31,2010

This section identifies the significant deficiencies, material weaknesses, and instances of noncompliance related to the

financial statements that are required to be reported in accordance with Chapter 5.18-5.20 of Government Auditing Standards.

Finding 2010-3

Our audit revealed that the Borough's fixed asset accounting ledger was not updated for assets acquired during

2010 Inaddition, prior year fixed asset balances as reported in the Borough's internal accounting/budget records are not in agreement with the audit balances

Criteria or Specific Reqnirement:

NJAC 5:30-5.6 requires that the Borough implement and maintain a fixed asset accounting system

Condition:

The Borough's fixed asset accounting system was not updated for assets acquired or disposed of during 2010 Furthermore, the prior year balances were not in agreement with audited balances

Cause:

Accounting records were not updated by Borough personnel

Effect:

The value of Borough assets may be under or overstated

Recommendation:

The Borough maintain a fixed asset accounting ledger in accordance with New Jersey Administrative Code 5:30-5.6

Management's Response:

Management has reviewed this finding and has indicated appropriate corrective action will be implemented

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BOROUGH OF CLOSTER SUMMARY SCHEDULE OF PRIOR YEAR AUDIT FINDINGS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2010

This section identifies the status of prior-year findings related to the financial statements are required to be reported in accordance with Chapter6.12ofGovernment Auditing Standards.

STATUS OF PRIOR YEAR FINDINGS

Finding 2009-1

The Borough maintains a cash basis general ledger for the Current Fund, General Capital Fund, Other Trust and Animal Control Funds The general ledgers are not always reconciled with subsidiary revenue and expenditure ledgers on a monthly basis In addition, the Borough does not maintain general ledgers for certain other trust funds

Current Status

See Finding2010-1

Finding 2009-2

Our audit revealed that purchase orders are not always issued prior to commitments being incurred

Current Status

See Finding2010-2

Finding 2009-3

Our audit revealed that the Developer's escrow and other trust fund ledger maintained by the Borough is not in agreement with the reconciled bank balances

Current Status

See Finding20I0-1

Finding 2009-4

Our audit revealed that the Borough's fixed asset accounting ledger was not updated for assets acquired during2009

Inaddition, prior year fixed asset balances as reported in the Borough's internal accounting/budget records are not in agreement with the audit balances

Current Status

See Finding2010-3

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BOROUGH OF CLOSTER

SUPPLEMENTARY DATA LETTER OF COMMENTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2010

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BOROUGH OF CLOSTER

SUPPLEMENTARY DATA

GENERAL COMMENTS

Current Year

Our audit noted that the IRS Fonn 1099 was not always issued to vendors who were paid in excess of $600 from the Borough The Finance Department upgraded their financial reporting software in February, 20 I0, and vendors paid prior to this date did not receive the required IRS Fonn It is recommended that all payments made in excess of $600, to non-incorporated vendors be reported to the IRS on Fonn 1099

Our audit revealed that the address on IRS Fonn 941 is the address for the Borough's payroll service provider It is recommended that all payroll tax remittance fonns contain the address ofthe Borough

Our audit noted that the Housing and Open Space trust accounts required only one authorized signature on checks disbursed from the account It is recommended that at least two authorized signatures be obtained on all checks disbursed from the Housing and Open Space Trust accounts

Our audit of the Borough's Current Fund noted that there are numerous appropriated grants which have not been expended

Inaddition, there are several grant receivable balances in the Current and General Capital Funds which remain uncollected

Itis recommended that appropriated grants and grant receivable balances be reviewed and action taken to clear of record

Prior Year

The following comments were reported in the prior year's audit and are also reported in the current year's audit

Our audit of the Other Trust Fund revealed that dedication by riders were not obtained for certain trust fund reserves Itis recommended that all trust fund reserves be reviewed and approval to expend dedicated funds be obtained from the Division

of Local Government Services or balancesbetransferred in accordance with state statute

Our audit noted that in certain instances, the billing for police outside services was incorrectly calculated The differences noted were immaterial In addition, the administrative fee is not segregated in the accounting records It is recommended that greater care be exercised in the billing and accounting of police off duty services

Our audit of municipal departments revealed that:

• The Construction Code department is not depositing monies in a timely manner

• We were unable to trace the Recreation Department cash receipts to a registration fonn and/or were unable to verifY that the proper fee was charged

• The cash receipts ledger maintained by the Recreation Department was not always in agreement with the amounts per the Treasurer's office

Itis recommended that:

• All monies collected by Construction Code be deposited within forty-eight hours of receipt

• The Recreation Department registration forms be available for audit

• The Recreation Department's cash receipt ledger be reconciled with the Treasurer's office on a monthly basis

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BOROUGH OF CLOSTER

SUPPLEMENTARY DATA

GENERAL COMMENTS (Continued)

CONTRACTS AND AGREEMENTS REQUIRED TO BE ADVERTISED FOR N.J.S 40A:11-4

N.J.S 40A: 11-4 states "Every contract or agreement, for the performance of work or the furnishing or hiring of any materials

or supplies, the cost or the contract price whereof is to be paid witb or out of public funds not included witbin the terms of Section 3 of this act, shall be made or awarded only after public advertising for bids and bidding therefore, except as is provided otherwise in this act or specifically by any other law No work materials or supplies shall be undertaken, acquired

or furnished for a sum exceeding in the aggregate of $21 ,000, except by contract or agreement."

The governing body of the municipality has the responsibility of determining whether the expenditures in any category will exceed the bid threshold within the fiscal year Where question arises as to whether any contract or agreement might result

in violation of the statute, the Borough Attorney's opinion should be sougbt before a commitment is made

The minutes indicate that bids were requested by public advertising and awarded for the following items:

West Street hnprovements

The minutes indicate that resolutions were adopted and advertised authorizing the awarding of contracts or agreements for

"Professional Services" per NJ.S 40A: 11-5 Inasmuch as the system of records did not provide for an accumulation of payments for categories for the performance of any work or the furnishings or hiring of any materials or supplies, the results

of such an accumulation could not reasonably be ascertained Disbursements were reviewed, however, to determine whether any clear violations existed

COLLECTION OF INTEREST ON DELINQUENT TAXES AND ASSESSMENTS

The statute provides the method for authorizing interest and the maximum rates to be charged for the non-payment of taxes

or assessments on or before the date when they would become delinquent

The Governing Body on January 4, 2010 adopted the following resolution authorizing interest to be charged on delinquent taxes:

"WHEREAS, N.J.SA 54:4-67 provides that the Governing Body of municipality is to fix the rate of interest to

be charged for the delinquent payment of real estate taxes

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the Mayor and Council of the Borough of Closter, County of Bergen, New Jersey that interest shall be charged at the rate of 8% per annum on the first $1,500 of delinquent real estate taxes and 18% per annum on any amount in the excess of $1 ,500, to be calculated from the date the tax or assessment was payable until the date of actual payment In connection with any delinquency of taxes, assessments or municipal charges exceeding $10,000 which has not been paid prior to the end of a calendar year, there shall be imposed a penalty in a sum equal to six (6%) percent of the delinquency"

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BOROUGH OF CLOSTER

SUPPLEMENTARY DATA

RECOMMENDAnONS

Itis recommended that:

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*

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1 Internal controls regarding the preparation ofthe Borough's general ledgers and financial reports be reviewed to ensure that the general ledgers and revenue repOlts are complete and reconciled with the subsidialy ledgers and bank reconciliations on a monthly basis

2 The encumbrance system be enhanced to ensure that purchase orders are issued prior to incurring expenditures

3 The Borough maintain a fixed asset accounting ledger in accordance with New Jersey Administrative Code 5:30-5.6

4 All payments, made in excess of $600, to non-incorporated vendors, be reported to the IRS on Form 1099

5 All payroll tax remittance forms contain the address of the Borough

6 At least two authorized signatures be obtained on all checks disbursed from the Housing and Open Space Trust accounts

7 Appropriated grants and grant receivable balances be reviewed and action taken to clear of record

8 All trust fund reserves be reviewed and approval to expend dedicated funds be obtained from the Division of Local Government Services or balances be transferred in accordance with State statute

9 Greater care be exercised in the billing and accounting of police off duty services

10 Inregards to the Municipal departments:

a) All monies collected by Construction Code be deposited within forty-eight hours of receipt

b) The Recreation Department registration forms be available for audit

c) The Recreation Department's cash receipt ledger be reconciled with amounts recorded in the Treasurer's office on a monthly basis

A review was performed on all prior year's recommendations Those recommendations which have not been corrected and which are repeated in this audit are denoted with an asterisk (*)

The recommendations noted in our review were not of such magnitude that they would affect our ability to express an opinion on the financial statements taken as a whole

Should any questions arise as to our comments and recommendatif,hor should you desire assistance in implementing our recommendations, please do not hesitate to call us l) tUJf. ~ v I~~: ( u/

LERCH, VINCI& HIG~LP

Certified Public Accountants Registered~itlAccountants

e~JV'~

Registered Municipal Accountant RMA Number CR004ll

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