Purpose of Audit

The purpose of our audit was to determine whether the Board properly monitored the District’s disbursements for the period January 1, 2013 through February 18, 2014.

Background

The Walden Fire District is a district corporation of the State, distinct and separate from the Town of Montgomery in Orange County in which it is located. The District, which covers 26 square miles and serves approximately 11,300 residents, is governed by an elected five-member Board of Fire Commissioners. The general fund budget for 2013 totaled approximately $860,000.

Key Findings

• The District did not have procedures for disbursements.
• The Board did not properly segregate the Treasurer’s duties or implement effective compensating controls over the Treasurer’s work.

Key Recommendations

• Adopt written procedures to provide guidance to staff on the disbursement function.
• Formally adopt written policies and procedures that adequately segregate financial duties and provide compensating controls when segregating duties is impractical.