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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1617-4 Follow-up report on Law Library Transition(Final 2-17-2017)Follow-up report of Law Library Transition #16/17-4 February 2017 FOLLOW-UP REPORT Law Library Transition (Internal audit report #15/16-5 issued May 2016) To request this information in an alternate format, please call (541) 330-4674 or send email to David.Givans@Deschutes.org Deschutes County, Oregon David Givans, CPA, CIA, CGMA Deschutes County Internal Auditor PO Box 6005 1300 NW Wall St Bend, OR 97708-6005 (541) 330-4674 David.Givans@Deschutes.org Audit committee: Lindsey Lombard, Chair - Public member John Barnett - Public member Tom Linhares - Public member Daryl Parrish - Public member Michael Shadrach - Public member Wayne Yeatman - Public member Anthony DeBone, County Commissioner Nancy Blankenship, County Clerk Dan Despotopulos, Fair & Expo Director Follow-up report of Law Library Transition #16/17-4 February 2017 TABLE OF CONTENTS: 1. INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................. 1 1.1. Background ........................................................................................................ 1 1.2. Objectives & Scope ............................................................................................ 1 1.3. Methodology ....................................................................................................... 1 2. FOLLOW-UP RESULTS ...................................................................................... 2 3. APPENDIX ........................................................................................................ 3-5 3.1. Appendix I – Updated Workplan for Report #15/16-5 (Status as of February 2017) .......................................................................... 3-5 Follow-up report of Law Library Transition #16/17-4 February 2017 Page 1 1. Introduction 1.1 BACKGROUND Audit Authority: The Deschutes County Audit Committee has suggested that follow-ups occur from nine months to one year after the original report issuance. The Audit Committee’s would like to make sure departments satisfactorily address recommendations. 1.2 OBJECTIVES and SCOPE Objectives: The objective was to follow-up on the outstanding audit recommendations. Scope: The follow-up included six (6) recommendations from the internal audit report on the Law Library Transition (#15/16-5 issued May 2016). The follow-up reflects the status as of February 2017. The original internal audit report should be referenced for the full text of recommendations and discussion. 1.3 METHODOLOGY The follow-up report was developed from information provided by Erik Kropp Deputy County Administrator. In cases where recommendations have not been implemented, comments were sought for the reasons why and the timing for addressing these. The follow-up is, by nature, subjective. In determining the status of recommendations that were followed up, we relied on assertions provided by those involved and did not attempt to independently verify those assertions. The updates received by County Administration are included in Appendix I. Since no substantive audit work was performed, Government Auditing Standards issued by the Comptroller General of the United States were not followed. DESCHUTES COUNTY INTERNAL AUDIT REPORT DESCHUTES COUNTY INTERNAL AUDIT REPORT DESCHUTES COUNTY INTERNAL AUDIT REPORT Follow-up report of Law Library Transition #16/17-4 February 2017 Page 2 2. Follow -up Results Figure I - How were recommendations implemented? The follow-up included six (6) recommendations agreed to by management. Management in substance agreed with all recommendations. Figure I provides an overview of the implementation status of the recommendations. The details of the updated workplan are provided in Appendix I. With this follow-up, eighty-three percent (83%) of the recommendations have been completed. Completed 83% Underway 17% Follow-up report of Law Library Transition #16/17-4 February 2017 Page 3 3. Appendix Appendix I – Updated Workplan for Report #15/16-5 (Status as of February 2017) Audit # 15/16-5 Workplan Ag r e e Di s a g r e e Implementation Status Comments # Recommendations Co m p l e t e d Un d e r w a y Pl a n n e d Estimated or Actual Date of Completion 1 It is recommended the MOU be updated to address the extent and expectations of law library services provided in print collections and through online legal subscriptions. These expectations should be determined with the assistance of the Deschutes Public Library. X X May-17 We agree with the auditor’s recommendation to update the MOU to provide more details about the expectations of law library services provided by Deschutes Public Library. 2 It is recommended for staff utilizing the surplus property provisions of the code familiarize themselves with how to deal with items greater than $500 and maintain the documentation required. X X Jan-17 Property & Facilities staff who handle surplus property will be given a copy of the policy and it will be included in internal staff discussions. Follow-up report of Law Library Transition #16/17-4 February 2017 Page 4 Audit # 15/16-5 Workplan Ag r e e Di s a g r e e Implementation Status Comments # Recommendations Co m p l e t e d Un d e r w a y Pl a n n e d Estimated or Actual Date of Completion 3 It is recommended for significant sales of surplus property go back to the fund originating the purchase unless additional procedures are developed by the County to use such proceeds to cover specific costs. {In the case of the shelving monies, these should be accounted for in the law library fund that incurred the costs}. X X We agree with the recommendation, although we believe each situation should be reviewed and discussed up front with the department asking for the sale of surplus property and the Property and Facilities Department. ------------------- We do not keep track nor try to trace back the origins of surplus property. For example, a desk or file cabinet purchased by one department or fund may become surplus and it then becomes the property of Property & Facilities to reallocate as needed. That same desk or cabinet may pass through numerous offices in its lifespan. If it gets to the point that it has served its useful life and we either throw it away or sell it, we have no idea what the original purchaser is, and we consider it our department’s property. We keep the proceeds of any sale because we are the ones handling all aspects of the sale, both physical and administrative. We consider the shelving the same as any other types of surplus property. Once it is no longer needed by a department, it becomes our (P&F) property. It just so happens we know the origins of the shelving purchase, but it is treated just as any other surplus property. If it had instead been broken down and distributed to various offices, and then in several years those offices requested us to remove them because they were no longer needed, we most likely would not have known the origin. The only reason we knew in this instance is because I am still here and knew the history. Follow-up report of Law Library Transition #16/17-4 February 2017 Page 5 Audit # 15/16-5 Workplan Ag r e e Di s a g r e e Implementation Status Comments # Recommendations Co m p l e t e d Un d e r w a y Pl a n n e d Estimated or Actual Date of Completion 4 It is recommended for Property and Facilities to use a cash receipt book (in triplicate) to account for their cash receipts and to maintain a master copy that monies can be reconciled to. The department’s cash handling procedures should be updated to reflect the cash sales of surplus property that is now occurring. X X Jan-17 In the past, nearly all of our cash handling dealt with lease payments. We have had two surplus property sales in the past year. Our goal is to try to recycle these items even if we are getting just a couple dollars. We would rather sell it or even give it away than to throw it in the landfill. We currently keep cash receipts in duplicate, but will develop a triplicate system. 5 It is recommended the County consider adjusting the internal service fund modified expenditures (used for calculating Finance, Administration and BOCC internal service fund charges) for the lack of activity now occurring in Fund 215- Law Library. X X Feb-17 Internal Service charges for BOCC, Admin, and Finance for FY 2018 budget are proposed to be reduced 50%. 6 It is recommended for management to consider repaying the general fund for the monies transferred in FY 2002. X X FY 2018 budget proposal includes a repaying the general fund. {END OF REPORT}