Bellmawr Borough’s Year End December 31, 2017 Audit Yields Two Findings

The year-end December 31, 2017 audit for the Borough of Bellmawr has been completed and uploaded on Bellmawr.com.

The auditor, Robert Marrone, from Bowman & Company, noted two findings.

Finding No. 2017-001
Criteria or Specific Requirement
Internal controls with respect to payroll should be designed for effectiveness and efficiency. The payroll process should follow statutory guidelines and Borough ordinances established.
Recommendation
That the Borough review procedures with respect to the payroll process, and adhere to healthcare and pension deduction guidelines, including information contained in Local Finance Notices issued by the State of New Jersey Division of Local Government Services.

Finding No. 2017-002
Criteria or Specific Requirement
Interfunds should be liquidated within a reasonable period of time and transactions should be posted to the general ledger of each fund. Separate bank accounts should be maintained for each fund.
Recommendation
That all interfunds be reviewed prior to the end of the year and that the Borough maintain a separate bank account for the Water Utility Capital fund.

View of Responsible Officials and Planned Corrective Action
The responsible officials agree with both of the findings and will address these matters as part of their corrective action plan.

To view the Schedule of Findings and Recommendations in more detail, click the image below:
As for the Summary Schedule of Prior Year Audit Findings and Recommendations, the auditor noted:

Finding No. 2016-001
Condition
The Borough did not process payroll in accordance with established guidelines as promulgated by Borough ordinance and health benefit deductions were not calculated in accordance with state statutes. In addition, amounts reported to the Division of Pensions did not agree to amounts per payroll reports.
Current Status
The condition has been partially resolved. See Finding 2017-001.
Planned Corrective Action
The Borough will implement procedures as part of their corrective action plan.
Finding No. 2016-002
Condition
The Borough did not fully implement controls over the dedicated by rider trust account Donations for the Needy to ensure compliance with certain state regulations and Borough policy regarding the payment of claims.
Current Status
The condition has been resolved.

To view the entire audit for year end December 31, 2017, click below: