Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout- - Memo to Council Attachment 2 - 10/18/2011Attachment 2 BY12-010 CITY OF COSTA MESA DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE AND INFORMATION & TECHNOLOGY INTEROFFICE MEMORANDUM TO: CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS THROUGH: THOMAS HATCH, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER FROM: BOBBY YOUNG, FINANCE AND I.T. DIRECTOR DATE: OCTOBER 10, 2011 SUBJECT: RESPONSES TO AGREED UPONPROCEDURES ON THE INTERNAL CONTROL POLICIES AND PROCEDURES OVER PAYROLL PERFORMED BY LANCE, SOIL & L UNGHARD, LLP. Throughout the month of August, the accounting firm Lance, Soll & Lunghard, LLP (LSL) performed a review of the City's policies and procedures over Payroll. Upon completion of testwork, LSL has issued a report containing their findings. Staff feels it is important to respond to each finding, provide an explanation of the finding or a plan of action to remediate the finding and implement any recommendations. The following are staff s responses to the findings determined by LSL. 1. No findings were noted as a result of the procedures performed. Response: City concurs with the results of the procedures performed. 2. When comparing the compensation report's total pay amount to the 2010 payroll records we noted three deviations. There were two employees whose total pay on the compensation report was understated by auto allowance pay in the amounts of $9,911 and $6,963. The other employee's total pay on the compensation report was understated by an instructional fee pay for firefighters in the amount of $8,800. Response: All three deviations were instances where adjustments had been made to the employees' year end W-2, but these adjustments were not picked up on the Employee Compensation Report for calendar year 2010. At year end, the IRS requires the City to adjust employees' W-2 to include: the personal use of a city vehicle and additional instructional pay received. The wages and benefits reported on the Employee Compensation Report is generated from data that was paid only through the payroll system. Since the adjustments were not paid through the payroll system, they were not included on the compensation report. Based on this finding, staff noted no other instances that would require an adjustment to the 2010 Employee Compensation Report. Also, staff will ensure all year end W-2 adjustments are included on future Employee Compensation Reports. 3. The City currently does not have all of its key internal control policies and procedures in written form. The City follows certain procedures based on verbal understandings, however, we recommend these should be documented in writing and formalized. We also noted that currently the City does not have a formal fraud and ethics policy. We recommend that the City implement such policies, and in addition, implement a hotline for anonymous tips from employees to report issues or concerns within the City. We recommend that these policies be provided to employees upon hire and in addition be presented and discussed with employees on a periodic basis. Response: While the City does have desk procedures and instruction manuals for the payroll process, staff recognizes it does not have documented internal control policies and procedures that overlap those manuals. Especially in the Finance Department, staff recognizes the importance of internal controls. LSL does acknowledge the City follows internal control procedures, however those are based on verbal understandings not documented policies. Staff concurs with the finding, and will work with the City's auditors to formally document those internal control policies and procedures. Also, the City does not have a formal fraud and ethics policy. This policy will not be limited to the payroll process, and therefore City management is committed to implementing a city-wide fraud and ethics policy as recommended. City management will also consider how best to implement the suggested hotline. 4. The City has provided its Payroll Coordinator, the employee processing the City's payroll, the ability to make certain changes to employee information in the payroll system including changes to pay rates and status which creates an internal control weakness. To create and optimal segregation of duties, this access should be limited to the applicable personnel in the Human Resources Department and not given to any employee preparing payroll. However, for practical consideration and due to available staffing resources, if the step is not considered practical, a formal process should be developed to have someone outside of payroll, review and approve all changes made to employee information as a compensating control. From our discussion with City personnel, the Assistant Finance Director periodically performs a similar review procedure however not on a consistent basis. Response: The best way to maintain proper internal controls is through the segregation on duties. However, if an agency reduces its workforce, it may not be able to maintain the optimal level of staffing necessary to maintain this segregation of duties. In 2007, Finance staff realized the lack of optimal internal control noted above and began having the Assistant Finance Director perform a review of payroll changes. Finance staff will ensure this review is completed on a more consistent basis as recommended by LSL. LSL also recommends limiting system access rights for payroll. Staff concurs with the recommendation and will review current allowed access and reduce that access to an as needed basis only. I would like to thank for LSL for their professionalism throughout this review, and for the thoughtful recommendations to strengthen the current policies and procedures. Staff is committed to implementing and maintaining strong internal controls, especially over its payroll process. !q Bobby Y Finance and I.T. Director 7