STATE OF MISSISSIPPI OFFICE OF THE STATE AUDITOR PHIL BRYANT State Auditor RAMONA HILL, CPA Director, Financial and Compliance Audit Division ED YARBOROUGH, CPA, CIA, CFE, CGFM Director, County Audit Section_part6 doc

JEFFERSON COUNTY Schedule of Findings For the Year Ended September 30, 1997 47 County Administrator. 97-8. Finding As reported in the prior two years= audit reports, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) erroneously sent the county two refund checks in the amounts of $57,000 and $55,222. The county deposited the checks and subsequently used the money to pay current obligations, even though the money did not belong to the county. In March, 1998, the county reimbursed the IRS for the $55,222 check but has not reimbursed the IRS for the other $57,000 received in error. Failure of the county to reimburse this money to the IRS could lead to penalties and interest being assessed against the county. Recommendation The funds should be returned to the IRS, and the county should refrain from depositing and expending funds received in error. County Administrator=s Response This matter is being corrected. No funds will be expended when received in error. Auditor=s Note The IRS is aware of this matter. 97-9. Finding As reported in the prior two years= audit reports, backup procedures for electronic data processed records do not include off-site storage of files, programs and documentation of transactions. The risk of losing all electronic data processed records in the event of an on-site disaster is greater when backups are not stored at an off-site location. Recommendation The county should make arrangements to have backups of all electronic data processed records stored at an off-site location. County Administrator=s Response A safe deposit box is now in use for storage of backups of electronic data. JEFFERSON COUNTY Schedule of Findings For the Year Ended September 30, 1997 48 Circuit Clerk. 97-10. Finding Section 7-7-211, Miss. Code Ann. (1972), gives the Office of the State Auditor the authority to prescribe accounting systems. As reported in the prior three years= audit reports, we noted that a control account for accounts receivable was not maintained as required by the prescribed accounting system contained in the Mississippi County Financial Accounting Manual. Failure of the Circuit Clerk to comply with the prescribed accounting system could result in undetected errors in the cash journals and improper or incomplete settlements being made to the county. Recommendation The Circuit Clerk should comply with the accounting system prescribed in the Mississippi County Financial Accounting Manual. A control account for accounts receivable should be established and maintained on a daily basis so that the Circuit Clerk knows the amount of uncollected judgments at all times. Circuit Clerk=s Response I am not aware of the Mississippi County Financial Accounting Manual and have never seen one. I am aware of the accounting system as taught by the State Department of Audit. I have endeavored to comply with the Audit Department=s system of accounting and will continue to endeavor to comply with the system. I further agree that failure to comply will result in undetected errors that will affect both the county and myself. I have no intentions of making improper or incomplete settlements to the county. Tax Assessor/Collector. 97-11. Finding Section 7-7-211, Miss. Code Ann. (1972), gives the Office of the State Auditor the authority to prescribe accounting systems. As reported in the prior year audit report, the legislative tag credit receivable was not posted to the cash journal. Recommendation The Tax Collector should ensure that the cash journal is properly maintained as prescribed by the Office of the State Auditor. Tax Assessor/Collector=s Response The Tax Collector chose not to respond. JEFFERSON COUNTY Schedule of Findings For the Year Ended September 30, 1997 49 Sheriff. 97-12. Finding Section 7-7-211, Miss. Code Ann. (1972), gives the Office of the State Auditor the authority to prescribe accounting systems. As reported in the prior two years' audit reports, we noted the following deviations from the prescribed accounting system contained in the Mississippi County Financial Accounting Manual: a. Deposits were not made timely. b. Bank statements were not reconciled to the checkbook or the cash journal. Failure of the Sheriff to comply with the prescribed accounting system could result in undetected errors in the cash journal and improper or incomplete settlements being made to the county. Recommendation The Sheriff should make deposits on a daily basis and reconcile bank statements to the checkbook and cash journal on a monthly basis. Sheriff=s Response a. Since our audit, we have started to make regular deposits to comply with Section 7-7-211, Miss. Code Ann. (1972). b. Bookkeeper Marilyn Jones will reconcile all bank statements to the cash journal. $ The findings listed below in Sections B and C are not required to be reported under Government Auditing Standards. B. Finding - Independent Auditor's Report on Central Purchasing System, Inventory Control System and Purchase Clerk Schedules Purchase Clerk. 1. Finding Sections 31-7-103 and 31-7-109, Miss. Code Ann. (1972), require purchase requisitions, purchase orders and receiving reports to accompany all claims for payment. As reported in the prior two year=s audit reports, some purchase transaction documents appeared to have been prepared after the fact as indicated by the dates on the documents. Recommendation The Purchase Clerk should ensure the purchase orders are properly completed and issued after receiving a purchase requisition. JEFFERSON COUNTY Schedule of Findings For the Year Ended September 30, 1997 50 Purchase Clerk's Response I will never issue a purchase order after the purchase has been made again, and I will make sure that all documents are issued in the proper order. C. Findings - Independent Auditor's Report on Compliance With State Laws and Regulations Board of Supervisors. 1. Finding Section 27-39-321, Miss. Code Ann. (1972), limits the collection of ad valorem taxes to within 110% of the previous year's collections. Tax collections exceeded the legal maximum. Credit for new property was not taken into account because this information was not supplied by the Tax Assessor/Collector. Recommendation The Board of Supervisors should reduce the subsequent year's tax levy to offset the excess collections. Board of Supervisors' Response The Board of Supervisors will make every effort to offset the excess collections. The Tax Collector will be informed to give the auditors the new growth information for 1997. 2. Finding Section 49-19-23, Miss. Code Ann. (1972), requires the county to send one half of all National Forestry Reserve funds received by the county to the county schools. As reported in the prior three years' audit reports, none of the National Forestry Reserve funds received by the county during fiscal year 1994 was sent to the county schools. Recommendation The Board of Supervisors should send one half of the National Forestry Reserve funds received by the county during fiscal year 1994 to the county schools. Board of Supervisors' Response The Board of Supervisors will pay one half of the National Forestry Reserve funds for fiscal year 1994 to the schools. Chancery Clerk. 3. Finding Section 27-39-323, Miss. Code Ann. (1972), requires the Chancery Clerk to deposit into a special account excess ad valorem tax collections over and above the 110% cap authorized by Section 27-39- 320, Miss. Code Ann. (1972). Ad valorem tax collections for the current year exceeded the prior year collections by 21.43%, but no special account was established. Recommendation JEFFERSON COUNTY Schedule of Findings For the Year Ended September 30, 1997 51 The Chancery Clerk should deposit, out of the following year's tax collections, the excess amount of $164,115 into an escrow account. The excess funds should be calculated into the budget of the county for the next fiscal year, and taxes imposed for the year should be reduced by the amount of the excess funds available. No allowance for new property was allowed in determining the excess amount because this information was not made available by the Tax Assessor/Collector. Chancery Clerk's Response We are in the process of making every effort to address the excess collections and make available to the auditors the information concerning the growth for 1997. 4. Finding Section 19-3-27, Miss. Code Ann. (1972), states that it is the duty of the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors to keep and preserve a complete and correct record of all proceedings and orders of the board. As reported in the prior year audit report, several of the older minute books of the Board of Supervisors cannot be located and are not available for inspection by the public as required. Minutes reflect the official actions of the Board of Supervisors and, therefore, should be carefully preserved. Recommendation The Chancery Clerk should make every effort to locate the minute books and ensure these records are preserved as required by law. Chancery Clerk's Response The Chancery Clerk will make every effort to locate the minute books. Circuit Clerk. 5. Finding Section 25-7-13(2)(m), Miss. Code Ann. (1972), allows the Circuit Clerk to be paid by the county $30 a day for himself and each necessary deputy allowed by the court for each day's "attendance upon the circuit court term." As reported in the prior year audit report, the Circuit Clerk, upon orders signed by the Circuit Court Judge, claims himself and two deputies (for a total of $90) each day that he files a document in the Circuit Court minute book. Recommendation The Circuit Clerk should receive the $30 attendance fee for himself and necessary deputies only during a regularly scheduled or vacation court term. The Circuit Clerk should not receive the $30 attendance fee when court is not actually in session. The number of days claimed by the Circuit Clerk appears excessive. JEFFERSON COUNTY Schedule of Findings For the Year Ended September 30, 1997 52 Circuit Clerk's Response I am entitled to the fee whenever the Judge is conducting business of the court and the Circuit Clerk is assisting in the performance of court work and performing acts for the court. Further, the fee is authorized by the Judge. Measures have been discussed concerning the $30 per diem for necessary deputies. Tax Assessor/Collector. 6. Finding Section 27-29-11, Miss. Code Ann. (1972), requires the Tax Collector to settle all taxes collected by the twentieth of the next month following the month of collection. Timely settlements were not always made to the county. Recommendation The Tax Collector should settle all county taxes by the twentieth of the next month following collection. Tax Collector's Response The Tax Collector chose not to respond. 7. Finding Section 27-49-1, Miss. Code Ann. (1972), requires the Tax Collector to present to the Board of Supervisors at its meeting on the first Monday of October in each year, a report of all insolvent and delinquent taxpayers in the county, with the amount due from each. The required report was not presented to the board in either the current audit year or in the prior two years. Recommendation The Tax Collector should present to the Board of Supervisors the report of insolvent and delinquent taxpayers. Tax Collector's Response The Tax Collector chose not to respond. 8. Finding Sections 27-49-1 and 27-49-9, Miss. Code Ann. (1972), specify the actions to be taken for the sale of property, real or personal, of business taxpayers who are either insolvent or delinquent. We found no evidence in either the current year audit or the two prior years= audits that the Tax Collector seized and sold property in order to collect delinquent business taxes. Recommendation The Tax Collector should make a concerted effort to collect delinquent business taxes through following the procedures specified in the law pertaining to the seizure and sale of property. JEFFERSON COUNTY Schedule of Findings For the Year Ended September 30, 1997 53 Tax Collector's Response The Tax Collector chose not to respond. Sheriff. 9. Finding Section 19-25-13, Miss. Code Ann. (1972), requires the Sheriff to settle all collections of fees and charges to the county on a monthly basis. As reported in the prior year audit report, settlements of collections were not always made monthly. Recommendation The Sheriff should settle all collections monthly. Sheriff's Response All collections will be settled monthly. . maintained as prescribed by the Office of the State Auditor. Tax Assessor/Collector=s Response The Tax Collector chose not to respond. JEFFERSON COUNTY Schedule of Findings For the Year Ended September. data. JEFFERSON COUNTY Schedule of Findings For the Year Ended September 30, 1997 48 Circuit Clerk. 97-10. Finding Section 7-7-211, Miss. Code Ann. (1972), gives the Office of the State Auditor the authority. not belong to the county. In March, 1998, the county reimbursed the IRS for the $55,222 check but has not reimbursed the IRS for the other $57,000 received in error. Failure of the county to reimburse this