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Audit Objective

Determine whether Town of Hempstead (Town) officials effectively monitored Town vehicles and fuel usage for loss, waste or misuse.

Key Findings

Town officials did not adequately monitor Town vehicles and fuel usage. As a result, Town officials did not know if Town vehicles and fuel were only used for Town business. Officials did not:

• Maintain adequate and centralized vehicle inventory records and properly secure vehicle titles.
• Document eligibility procedures when authorizing take-home vehicles including the justification or rationale for assigning them.
• Review fuel usage to monitor and identify unusual usage.

Key Recommendations

• Establish policies to ensure that Town vehicle inventory records are accurate and centrally maintained, vehicle titles are centrally and securely stored, and there is proper documentation of take-home usage.
• Ensure take-home vehicle usage is properly authorized, and fuel usage is properly monitored.

Town officials agreed with our recommendations and indicated they will take corrective action.