REPORT DIGEST

PRAIRIE STATE 2000 AUTHORITY

FINANCIAL AUDIT

For the Year Ended:
June 30, 1999

COMPLIANCE AUDIT

For the Two Years Ended:
June 30, 1999

Summary of Findings:

Total this audit 1
Total last audit 2
Repeated from last audit 1

Release Date:
August 2, 2000

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State of Illinois
Office of the Auditor General

WILLIAM G. HOLLAND
AUDITOR GENERAL

To obtain a copy of the Report contact:
Office of the Auditor General
Attn: Records Manager
Iles Park Plaza
740 E. Ash Street
Springfield, IL 62703

(217)782-6046 or TDD (217) 524-4646

This Report Digest is also available on
the worldwide web at
http://www.state.il.us/auditor

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SYNOPSIS

 

 

  • The Authority failed to ensure timely deposit of cash receipts.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

{Expenditures and Activity Measures are summarized on the reverse page.}

 

PRAIRIE STATE 2000 AUTHORITY
FINANCIAL AUDIT FOR THE YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 1999
COMPLIANCE AUDIT FOR THE TWO YEARS ENDED JUNE 30, 1999

EXPENDITURE STATISTICS

FY 1999

FY 1998

FY 1997

Total Expenditures (All Funds)

$2,596,485

$3,110,025

$3,570,618

OPERATIONS TOTAL

$560,956

$490,806

$486,524

% of Total Expenditures

21.6%

15.8%

13.6%

Personal Services

$276,575

$272,767

$267,003

% of Operations Expenditures

49.3%

55.6%

54.9%

Average No. of Employees

6

6

6

Other Payroll Costs (FICA, Retirement)

$57,338

$47,325

$42,158

% of Operations Expenditures

10.2%

9.6%

8.7%

Contractual Services

$185,457

$131,071

$133,502

% of Operations Expenditures

33.1%

26.7%

27.4%

All Other Operations Items

$41,586

$39,643

$43,861

% of Operations Expenditures

7.4%

8.1%

9.0%

GRANTS TOTAL

$2,035,529

$2,619,219

$3,084,094

% of Total Expenditures

78.4%

84.2%

86.4%

Cost of Property and Equipment

$106,278

$101,133

$85,014

SELECTED ACTIVITY MEASURES

FY 1999

FY 1998

FY 1997

Employer Training Assistance Awards

165

168

112

No. of Employees Trained

6,764

8,009

9,003

Individual Training Applications

11,732

8,928

6,700

No. of Individuals Trained

5,629

5,639

4,949

AGENCY DIRECTOR(S)
During Audit Period: Mrs. Polly Vogel, CEO (7/1/97 - 11/15/98)
Ms. Susan Vespa, CEO (11/16/98 - Present)
Currently: Ms. Susan Vespa, CEO
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Failure to promptly deposit receipts

INTRODUCTION

The Prairie State 2000 Authority was created by the Prairie State 2000 Authority Act on January 1, 1986.

The Authority’s major function is to establish, operate and maintain an educational and vocational training program to create jobs, reduce unemployment costs and meet the needs of the economy for skilled workers.

FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS

UNTIMELY DEPOSITS OF CASH RECEIPTS

The Authority failed to ensure the prompt deposit of cash receipts.

We noted 4 of 21 receipts tested were deposited between 1 and 6 days late. The State Officers and Employee Money Disposition Act (30 ILCS 230/2(a)) requires that an accumulation of receipts exceeding $500, but less than $10,000, be deposited within 48 hours excluding weekends and holidays. Effective in May, 1998, the Treasurer and Comptroller granted a two-day extension to the Authority for depositing their receipts and refunds. (Finding 1, pages 12-13) This finding has been repeated since 1995.

We recommended the Authority comply with the State Officers and Employee Money Disposition Act by depositing receipts within the required time period.

Authority officials agreed with the finding and stated they have improved the depositing activity by 86% from the FY 1997 review. Further, they will continue their efforts to ensure that all deposits are made within the required time period. (For previous agency responses, see Digest Footnote 1.)

OTHER FINDINGS

There were no other findings to report. Responses by the Authority were provided by Cezar Lopez, Operations Manager.

AUDITORS’ OPINION

Our auditors state the financial statements of the Prairie State 2000 Authority as of June 30, 1999, and for the year then ended are fairly stated in all material respects.

 

___________________________________

WILLIAM G.HOLLAND, Auditor General

WGH:SES:pp

SPECIAL ASSISTANT AUDITORS

Our special assistant auditors were Williams & Williams.

DIGEST FOOTNOTES

#1 TIMELY DEPOSIT OF CASH RECEIPTS - Previous Authority Responses

1997: "We agree with the finding and are very concerned with being in compliance with the Act. We are currently communicating with the Treasurer's Office and the Comptroller's Office to request an extension of 48 hours to make deposits. The deposits would still be made within a reasonable amount of time, while permitting flexibility of staff schedules.

The Authority personnel - six full-time employees - are currently operating at capacity. Due to limited administrative resources, the timing of some deposits has extended beyond the State Officers and Employee Money Disposition Act's requirements. Staff estimates the loss of interest revenue to be $12.00 over the period covered by the audit."

1995: "We agree with this finding. 37 deposits were delayed 1 to 30 days (60%), 10 were delayed 31-90 days (16%), and 11 were delayed 91-145 days (18%) during a period where the Fiscal Accounts Coordinator position was vacant, and the Authority was seeking a new coordinator. In addition, during this time, the Treasurer's Office changed banks of deposit and some checks were held and thus delayed since they were sent to the old bank of deposit. Loan payment checks that are received by the Authority are held in its offices are securely locked in for safe keeping before being deposited.

The circumstances relating to this finding might not have occurred had the Authority been allocated the Fiscal Accounts Clerk position that it has requested for the past five years."