Audit Objective
Determine whether the Washington County (County) Department of Weights and Measures (Department) completed required testing of all weighing and measuring devices used to price goods and whether complete records were maintained.
Key Findings
The Director of Weights and Measures (Director) did not complete all required testing of weighing and measuring devices or maintain complete inspection records as required by New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets regulations and article 16 of the New York State Agriculture and Markets Law (AML).As a result, consumers are at increased risk of paying more than necessary for goods and services.
Specifically:
- Nine of 114 devices that we reviewed were not inspected as required.
- There was no system in place to maintain a complete and accurate master list of businesses with weighing and measuring devices.
- The Department’s master list of business did not include all businesses with timing devices.
In addition, the Director did not develop and implement procedures for price accuracy testing.
Key Recommendations
- Perform required testing in accordance with New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets regulations and AML.
- Maintain complete records, including an inventory of businesses and their devices.
County officials agreed with our findings and indicated they plan to initiate corrective action.