A state audit of a the Skaneateles Central School District found that while two former staff members were overpaid, there are no other financial discrepancies with business operations.
In a final audit report released Tuesday, the state comptroller's office identified areas the Skaneateles district could improve upon to ensure financial operations run more efficiently and accurately to prevent any instances of fraud.
Auditors examined the district's internal controls on financial operations for the period July 1, 2006 to May 31, 2008. The review is part of a state initiative to examine all school districts' procedures.
Auditors found the district overpaid a custodian supervisor and a custodian, who received payments for unused vacation time accrued during their time of employment. Both had left the district during the audit period.
For the custodian supervisor, Keith Watkins, that overpayment totaled more than $10,000. Superintendent Phil D'Angelo Jr. attributed this error to a computer glitch that automatically included pay raises in the calculations. The district and Watkins agreed to a repayment plan.
The audit also indicated an overpayment to part-time custodian Richard Fey of $628. Auditors faulted unclear board of education policies outlining credit for unused vacation time for the error. But D'Angelo said the payment was in fact correct based upon district procedure, and will not be recouping those funds.
In addition to the overpayments, the audit faulted the district for not separating treasurer's duties, the claims audit process and the security of financial data. Auditors stated that many of these internal control weaknesses were “caused by a lack of or inadequate board policies.”
D'Angelo said district officials began implementing corrective action during the audit process. He contacted the state Education Department for policy templates regarding financial operations. Those policies have since been adopted and included in the board handbook.
“We tried to be as proactive as we could be,” he said.
District officials were in full cooperation with auditors, he added. “It's like anything, you need to be cooperative,” he said. “They've got a job to do, we've got a job to do. We're educators, but it is a business and we certainly want to take the expertise the auditors have and apply it to make things run more efficiently.”
He said the district is happy to receive feedback, and any errors found were just that - errors.
“When we had our meeting,” D'Angelo said, “we said, 'We have nothing to hide. If you find any errors or mistakes, it certainly is a true mistake.'”
Staff writer Alyssa Sunkin can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 239 or alyssa.sunkin@lee.net
Auditors examined the district's internal controls on financial operations for the period July 1, 2006 to May 31, 2008. The review is part of a state initiative to examine all school districts' procedures.
Auditors found the district overpaid a custodian supervisor and a custodian, who received payments for unused vacation time accrued during their time of employment. Both had left the district during the audit period.
For the custodian supervisor, Keith Watkins, that overpayment totaled more than $10,000. Superintendent Phil D'Angelo Jr. attributed this error to a computer glitch that automatically included pay raises in the calculations. The district and Watkins agreed to a repayment plan.
The audit also indicated an overpayment to part-time custodian Richard Fey of $628. Auditors faulted unclear board of education policies outlining credit for unused vacation time for the error. But D'Angelo said the payment was in fact correct based upon district procedure, and will not be recouping those funds.
In addition to the overpayments, the audit faulted the district for not separating treasurer's duties, the claims audit process and the security of financial data. Auditors stated that many of these internal control weaknesses were “caused by a lack of or inadequate board policies.”
D'Angelo said district officials began implementing corrective action during the audit process. He contacted the state Education Department for policy templates regarding financial operations. Those policies have since been adopted and included in the board handbook.
“We tried to be as proactive as we could be,” he said.
District officials were in full cooperation with auditors, he added. “It's like anything, you need to be cooperative,” he said. “They've got a job to do, we've got a job to do. We're educators, but it is a business and we certainly want to take the expertise the auditors have and apply it to make things run more efficiently.”
He said the district is happy to receive feedback, and any errors found were just that - errors.
“When we had our meeting,” D'Angelo said, “we said, 'We have nothing to hide. If you find any errors or mistakes, it certainly is a true mistake.'”
Staff writer Alyssa Sunkin can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 239 or alyssa.sunkin@lee.net
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