Purpose of Audit

The purpose of our audit was to determine whether the Board adopted realistic budgets that were structurally balanced, whether officials adequately monitored the Town’s financial operations and whether the Board adopted adequate policies and procedures to safeguard the Town’s information technology (IT) resources for the period January 1, 2016 through June 30, 2017.

Background

The Town of Oswego is located in Oswego County and has a population of approximately 7,900. The Town is governed by an elected five-member Town Board. Budgeted appropriations for 2017 totaled approximately $2 million.

Key Findings

• The Board has not developed realistic budgets and has not adequately monitored the budgets. As a result, from 2014 through 2016, fund balance in the general fund declined from about $478,000 to $51,000 (89 percent) and declined in the Sleepy Hollow sewer district fund from $31,503 to $3,521 (89 percent). The highway fund also had a deficit unrestricted fund balance during this period of as much as $66,491.
• The Board has not adopted multiyear financial and capital plans.
• The Board did not adopt IT breach notification policies and procedures, back-up procedures and a disaster recovery plan.

Key Recommendations

• Develop and adopt budgets with realistic estimates of revenues and expenditures based on historical trends or other known factors.
• Develop and adopt multiyear financial and capital plans.
• Adopt a disaster recovery plan and policies and procedures for breach notification and data back-up.