YELLOW SHEET
Office of the State Auditor of Missouri
Claire McCaskill
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YELLOW SHEET Office of the State Auditor of Missouri |
November 21, 2002
Report No. 2002-113
IMPORTANT:� This report contains information about the ninety (90) Missouri counties which do not have a county auditor.� Using recently issued audit reports, county budgets, and county published financial statements, this report has been compiled� to show comparative financial information.� Data for the years 2001, 2000, and 1999 are presented in this report.
The highlights of our review include financial data regarding significant county funds (such as the General Revenue Fund, Special Road and Bridge Fund, and various sales tax funds) and comments regarding our review of the 1999 federal award expenditures, the 2001 published financial statements, and findings reported in the most recently issued audit reports of all counties.
The majority of the counties' General Revenue and Special Road and Bridge Funds had receipts and disbursements ranging from $500,000 to $1,499,999.� Sales tax is the main source of receipts (average of 39 percent for all counties) for the General Revenue Fund, while intergovernmental revenues, such as federal and state aid, are the main source of receipts (average of 64 percent for all counties) for the Special Road and Bridge Fund.
General County Government represents the main disbursement category (average of 43 percent for all counties) for most� counties' General Revenue Fund.� Public Safety represents the next major disbursement category (average of 35 percent for all counties).� For counties having a law enforcement sales tax, public safety disbursements may be paid from a law enforcement sales tax fund rather than the General Revenue Fund.
Sales tax funds are established by counties to account for additional sales taxes approved by voters and earmarked for a specific purpose, including capital improvements, law enforcement, and road and bridge work.� Fifty-three counties have established one or more of these funds.� During 2001 receipts into these type funds totaled approximately $56 million.�
Most counties receive federal financial assistance to operate various federal programs.� While the majority of counties expended $300,000 or less in federal awards during 1999, a few expended more than $900,000.� Counties are required to submit a schedule of expenditures of federal awards (SEFA) to the State Auditor's Office with the annual budget.� A review of each county's 1999 SEFA amounts determined that counties underreported federal award expenditures by approximately $6.1 million.� This is a significant improvement from the $11 million federal award expenditures underreported by counties for 1998.� However, inaccurate reporting could result in noncompliance with audit and reporting requirements which could result in future reductions of federal funds.
Counties are required to publish their annual financial statements by the first Monday in March of each year.� A review of each county's 2001 published financial statements determined that all of the� counties' financial statements were good or fair and presented a significant portion of the required statutory information.� Approximately 73 percent of the counties published their financial statement by the statutory deadline.
Common county audit report findings involved budgetary practices and financial statements, reporting of federal grant expenditures, county property controls and records, payroll controls and procedures, bidding procedures, and written agreements/contracts.�� Other significant county findings included declining financial condition, inadequate or incomplete county commission minutes, and concerns relating to the administration of various federal awards.� In addition, common findings related to county elected fee officials included receipting, depositing, and reconciliation procedures, as well as lack of segregation of duties.