Audits of Local Governments

The Office of the New York State Comptroller’s Division of Local Government and School Accountability conducts performance audits of local governments and school districts. Performance audits provide findings or conclusions based on an evaluation of evidence against criteria. Local officials use audit findings to improve program performance and operations, reduce costs and contribute to public accountability.

For audits older than 2013, contact us at [email protected].

For audits of State and NYC agencies and public authorities, see Audits.

Topics
School District | Information Technology

November 10, 2022 –

District officials did not adequately manage network user accounts or develop a written IT contingency plan that details how District officials would respond to IT disruptions. As a result, officials had active but unneeded network user accounts that could be used as entry points for individuals to gain unauthorized access to the Districts IT systems, and the lack of comprehensive written IT contingency plan impairs the District's ability to recover from an unexpected IT disruption. In addition to finding sensitive IT control weaknesses that were confidentially communicated to officials.

School District | Information Technology

November 10, 2022 –

District officials did not adequately manage or monitor nonstudent network user accounts or develop a written IT contingency plan. In addition to sensitive IT control weaknesses that were communicated confidentially to officials.

School District | Information Technology

November 4, 2022 –

While we found online banking transactions were appropriate, District officials did not secure access to online banking. In addition to sensitive information technology (IT) control weaknesses that we confidentially communicated to District officials.

Fire District | Cash Disbursements

November 4, 2022 –

Aside from minor exceptions, disbursements were authorized, supported and for appropriate District purposes. However, the Board could improve oversight of and internal controls over disbursements.

City | Other

November 4, 2022 –

Based on the results of our review, we found that the significant revenue and expenditure projections in the 2023 proposed budget are reasonable. However, we identified certain revenue and expenditure projections that should be reviewed by the Mayor and Council.

Fire District | Purchasing

November 4, 2022 –

We examined purchases totaling $292,992 and found purchases totaling $179,903 (61 percent) were not competitively procured as required by the District's procurement policy. As a result, the Board and District officials do not have assurance that goods and services are acquired at the best price and that purchases are being made in the most prudent and economical manner in the best interest of taxpayers.

Fire District | General Oversight

November 4, 2022 –

The Board did not provide adequate oversight of District financial activities and did not complete mandatory fiscal oversight training.

City | Other

November 4, 2022 –

Based on the results of our review, we found that the significant revenue and expenditure projections in the 2023 proposed budget are reasonable. However, we identified certain revenue and expenditure projections that should be reviewed by the Mayor and Council.

School District | Purchasing

October 28, 2022 –

District officials did not always procure goods and services in accordance with Board policies and applicable statutory requirements. We examined purchases totaling $556,813 and found District officials could not support that they periodically sought competition for purchases totaling $478,613.

Village | Employee Benefits

October 28, 2022 –

Village officials did not ensure that insurance premium contributions were accurately calculated and collected.

Fire District | Capital Projects

October 21, 2022 –

Members of the Board did not use competitive methods to renovate leased firehouse space and did not adequately oversee leasehold agreements for renovations.

School District | Purchasing

October 21, 2022 –

District officials did not make procurements in accordance with District policies, statutory requirements and good business practices.

School District | Inventories

October 14, 2022 –

District officials did not establish controls to safeguard and accurately account for fuel inventory, and the responsibility for managing fuel inventories was not clearly assigned. As a result, officials cannot account for at least 1,358 gallons of fuel purchased or assure taxpayers fuel was only used for District purposes.

Village | Clerks

October 14, 2022 –

The Board did not ensure that compensation received by the Clerk-Treasurer was consistent with his individual employment agreements.

School District | Financial Condition

October 7, 2022 –

The Board and District officials did not effectively manage fund balance.

School District | Claims Auditing

October 7, 2022 –

While claims were supported and for appropriate purposes, the Board did not ensure claims were properly audited and approved before payment from July 1, 2020 – October 2021. Individuals prohibited from serving as the claims auditor, because they were directly involved in accounting or purchasing functions, audited and approved claims resulting in an increased risk that improper or deficient claims could be paid. The District appointed a new claims auditor in October 2021.

School District | Information Technology

October 7, 2022 –

District officials did not adequately secure access to the network or properly manage user permissions to the financial and student information applications. In addition to sensitive information technology (IT) control weaknesses that were communicated confidentially to officials,

School District | Information Technology

October 7, 2022 –

District officials did not ensure that network access controls were adequate.

School District | Financial Condition

September 30, 2022 –

Although the Board and District officials properly established reserve funds that have balances totaling $3 million, they did not comply with the District's reserve policy or transparently fund reserves. In addition, the Board did not take an active role in managing and overseeing reserve fund activity and did not transparently use or maintain all reserves at reasonable levels.

School District | Financial Condition

September 30, 2022 –

The Board and District officials did not effectively manage fund balance and need to improve their budgeting practices and be more transparent with District residents and taxpayers.