CHOUTEAU COUNTY

2023-002 Late Audit Submission (Repeat Finding 2021/2022-013) CFDA Title: Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds CFDA Number: 21.027 Federal Agency: United States Department of the Treasury Pass-through Entity: N/A Condition: Montana local governments with a June 30th fiscal year end must submit their audit report to the MT Department of Administration and the Federal Clearing house by March 31st, following the fiscal year end. The County’s audit was not completed until After March 31, 2024. Criteria: The audit for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2023, was due to the State and the Federal government by March 31, 2024 as required by MT Administrative Rules 2.4.411 and the Federal Uniform Guidance/A-133 rules. Context: Per review of the audit compliance requirements for both the State of Montana and the Federal government. Effect: The County is late in completing their fiscal year 2023 audit. Cause: The audit was held while the auditor waited for a response from the County’s attorney in regard to a Cooperative Purchasing Agreement. Recommendation: We recommend the County complete their annual audits in compliance with MT Administrative Rules 2.4.411 and federal rules described in the Uniform Guidance/A-133.

2021/2022-001 Airport Fund CFDA Title: Airport Improvement Program CFDA Number: 20.106 Federal Award Number: 3-30-006-007-2020, 3-30-030-014-2020, 3-30-0102-005-2021 Federal Agency: U.S. Department of Transportation Pass-through Entity: Direct Condition: The Airport is a separate entity yet all of the activity of the Airport is accounted for in a County Special Revenue Fund. Context: In analyzing the activity of the County, we noted that the expenditures/expenses of the Airport were not going through the normal claims process as other County governmental funds. Upon investigation, we were given a joint resolution and found that the Airport is a separate entity that is governed jointly by Chouteau County, The City of Fort Benton, the Town of Geraldine and the Town of Big Sandy. None of the Entity?s have a controlling interest in the Airport. The joint airport board consists of 5 members. 2 members are appointed by the County commissioners, 1 by the City Council of Fort Benton, 1 by the Town Council of Geraldine, and 1 by the Town Council of Big Sandy. The County was awarded the FAA grants to be passed through to the Airport. Criteria: An Entity that is a separate Entity apart from the County and that does not meet the requirements to be a blended component unit should be reported as a fiduciary type activity. Effect: Only the activity of the FAA grants and related expenditures that were awarded to the County should be shown as activity in the special revenue fund of the County. The other airport activity should be accounted for in one of the County?s fiduciary funds and reported as part of the custodial funds on the financial statements. Cause: There was a misinterpretation of GASB Statement No. 14 relating to component units, as such, the County was treating the Airport as a blended component unit and accounting for all revenues and expenditures as part of the County. Recommendation: We recommend the County set up fund #7381 as indicated in the Montana BARS Chart of Accounts for Airport Authorities, and the run the activity of the airport, apart from the FAA grants, through that fund.

2021/2022-002 Airport Fund Capital Outlay and Capital Assets CFDA Title: Airport Improvement Program CFDA Number: 20.106 Federal Award Number: 3-30-006-007-2020, 3-30-030-014-2020, 3-30-0102-005-2021 Federal Agency: U.S. Department of Transportation Pass-through Entity: Direct Condition: The County has capital assets, capital asset additions, and depreciation expenses for the Airport Assets included with the County activity. Context: As noted in the prior finding, the Airport is not part of the County. The County at times receives grants such as the FAA grants in fiscal year 2021 & 2022 that are pass through grants to the Airports. We noticed that there was capital outlay in the Airport Fund on the financial statements. We then looked at the capital asset listing and noted that there were several assets included in the depreciation schedule that are Airport assets and as such these do not belong to the County Criteria: Capital Assets, depreciation expense, and capital outlay should only be reflected in the financial statements for those assets that are owned by the County. Effect: In Fiscal year 2021, in the government wide financial statements capital Assets and depreciation expense are overstated by $5,728,515 and $624,055 and public works expenses are understated by $1,149,278. In the fund financial statements, capital outlay is overstated and public works expenditures are understated by $1,149,278. In fiscal year 2022, in the government wide financial statements, capital Assets and depreciation expense are overstated by $10,031,118 and $508,415 and public works expenses are understated by $3,811,048. In the fund financial statements, capital outlay is overstated and public works is understated by $3,811,048. Our opinion was qualified in respect to this matter in the Governmental Government Wide Activities and Airport Fund in both fiscal year 2021 and fiscal year 2022. Cause: The City is accounting for all activity of the Airports in a special revenue fund and are treating the accounting for the Airport as if it was part of the County when it is not. Recommendation: We recommend that the County remove all capital assets relating to the Airport from their depreciation schedule. We also recommend that the County properly expense the pass through of the expenditures in the Airport Funds for the FAA grants as public work contribution expenditures and not classify them as capital outlay.

2020-001 Reporting ? Late Audit Submission Funding Agency: U.S. Department of Transportation Title: Airport Improvement Program CFDA Number: 20.106 Criteria or Specific Requirement: As required by the Federal Register notice dated June 26, 2007, auditees are required to submit a completed Form SF-SAC, along with one complete reporting package to the Federal Audit Clearinghouse on/before the earlier of 30 days after receipt of the auditor's report or nine months after the end of the audit period. During 2020, this requirement was extended by six months for audits due March 31, 2021. Condition: An SF-SAC report was not timely filed. Context: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and other extenuating circumstances, the audit was unable to be submitted to the Federal Audit Clearinghouse in a timely manner. Questioned Costs: To be determined by grantor. Effect: The County is at risk of jeopardizing the continued funding provided by the federal agency. Cause: Limited administrative support makes completing the administrative tasks onerous including ensuring interentity transactions get entered in both sets of financial data. Auditor's Recommendations: We recommend that the County implement processes to ensure tasks are being completed timely and ready to be presented for audit within a timeframe that allows for the audit to be completed timely. View of Responsible Official: Management agrees with the finding and has developed and begun implementation of a corrective action plan. Management acknowledges that the delay was related in-part to the ongoing pandemic.