State Issues Audit Of Cannon County

The State of Tennessee recently released its 2010 Audit of Cannon County Government and Cannon County Schools.

Click the following link to download the audit: Cannon County 2010 Audit

The audit resulted in 14 findings and recommendations, which the auditors reviewed with Cannon County management. Detailed findings, recommendations, and management's responses are included in the Single Audit section of the report.

The following are summaries of the audit findings and best practice:

CANNON COUNTY AND CANNON COUNTY SCHOOL DEPARTMENT

• Cannon County and the Cannon County School Department do not have the resources to produce financial statements and notes to the financial statements.

OFFICE OF COUNTY EXECUTIVE

• The General Fund required material audit adjustments for proper financial statement presentation.

• Deficiencies were noted in the administration of the REACH after-school program.

• Expenditures exceeded appropriations.

• The office had deficiencies in purchasing procedures.

• Payables were not determined and recorded in  the Solid Waste/Sanitation Fund.

• The office did not document compliance with the Davis-Bacon Act.

• Government-wide financial statements did not include other post-employment benefits as required by generally accepted accounting principles.

OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR OF SCHOOLS

• The School Federal Projects Fund had a deficit in unreserved fund balance.

• Expenditures and encumbrances exceeded appropriations.

OFFICE OF CIRCUIT AND GENERAL SESSIONS COURTS CLERK

• The office could change computer generated receipt numbers.

OFFICE OF SHERIFF

• The office had deficiencies in commissary operations.

OTHER FINDINGS

• Cannon County has material recurring audit findings.

• Duties were not segregated adequately in the Offices of the County Executive, Road Supervisor, Director of Schools, Trustee, County Clerk, Circuit and General Sessions Courts Clerk, Clerk and Master, and Sheriff.

BEST PRACTICE

Cannon County does not have a central system of accounting, budgeting, and purchasing. The Division of County Audit strongly believes that a central system of accounting, budgeting, and purchasing is a best practice that should be adopted by the governing body as a means of significantly improving accountability and the quality of services provided to the citizens of Cannon County.