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INDIAN RIVER COUNTY, FLORIDA SHERIFF <br />® Schedule of Findings and Responses <br />For the Year Ended September 30, 2014 <br />2014-001 - Material Audit Adjustments <br />Finding Type. Material Weakness in Internal Control over Financial Reporting. <br />Criteria. Management is responsible for maintaining its accounting records in accordance with generally <br />accepted accounting principles (GAAP). <br />Condition. During our audit, we identified and proposed material adjustments (which were approved and <br />posted by management) to adjust the Sheriff's accounting records. Also, management identified and <br />posted many smaller adjustments to a wide variety of funds and accounts throughout the audit process <br />that collectively had a material effect on the Sheriff's financial reporting process. <br />Cause. During the past year, the Sheriff's finance department has experienced turnover in staff. These <br />changes have placed a significant burden on the year-end close process, and has resulted in adjustments <br />not being posted timely. <br />Effect. As a result of this condition, the Sheriff's financial information was initially misstated by amounts <br />that were deemed to be quantitatively material and numerous account balances were not adjusted <br />timely throughout the year. Correcting entries were subsequently posted by management to the Sheriffs <br />records and the appropriate balances are presented in the audited financial statements. <br />Recommendation. Management has already taken appropriate corrective action by posting correcting <br />journal entries. However, we recommend that the Sheriff critically assess the staffing in its Finance <br />Department to ensure that there are an appropriate number of qualified/trained individuals available <br />throughout the year to maintain the Sheriffs books and records in accordance with GAAP. <br />View of Responsible Officials. <br />I have instituted procedures which include a system of Internal Controls to insure that Sheriffs Office <br />books and records are correctly reported in accordance with GAAP. I continually assess the Finance <br />Section, as I do all departments within the Sheriffs Office, to insure that the staffing is appropriate and <br />training is continually available to the individuals responsible for keeping accurate and timely accounting <br />books and records. As your letter indicates, the case of many of the adjustments not being posted timely <br />was due to unexpected staff turnover. <br />344 <br />