By JOYANNA LOVE/ Senior Staff Writer

The Chilton County Board of Education was presented the 2017 fiscal year audit report during a meeting on June 7.

The fiscal year was from Oct. 1, 2016, to Sept. 20, 2017.

“We also noted no matters to indicate that the board had not complied in all material respects to applicable laws and regulations,” Brittany Little of the State of Alabama Examiners said.

Auditors listed a prior audit finding from 2013 as being unresolved.

“The Board’s Local School Accounting and Reporting policy states, in part, that ‘a

complete record of all expenditures shall be kept in record books, all checks issued by the local schools shall be signed by the local principal, and all purchases shall be made through the backups when paying bills.’ At Isabella High School and Jemison High School, the Board’s purchase order policy was not always followed,” according to the audit.

The school system outlined how the issue would be addressed.

According to the audit, “The CSFO (Chief School Financial Officer) has begun working with all local school bookkeepers and principals to ensure the correct protocol is being followed in keeping a record of all expenditures and to address the issues listed from the local schools that were tested. We have planned quarterly trainings and have implemented unannounced random audits at each of the local schools to make sure these items are being maintained correctly.”

The Title 1 and Special Education budgets had no audit findings.

The total assets for the school system was $63,639,334, while the total liabilities were $74,856,547.

The school system’s liabilities included $57,278,000 for funding pensions. These are funds that have to be set aside, but are not actually paid out in that fiscal year.

This led to the audit listing a “deficit net position of $7,496,261” for the school system. However, since the actual funds paid for pensions was $5,908,000, the school system did end the year in positive financial state.

There were two findings from previous years that were corrected in the 2017 fiscal year. These dealt with bank reconciliations not being prepared in a timely manner and not keeping copies of needed paperwork.

“Corrective action was taken in FY2017. All bank reconciliations have been prepared timely

and uploaded to the Board’s website. The Processes in Payroll and reporting have been

addressed and documentation has been retained in FY 17,” according to the audit.

An issue where a terminated employee was still being paid after their last day was also addressed, and “procedures have been put in place where a terminated employee will not continue to get paid.”

A copy of the 2017 fiscal year audit is available on the State Examiners website at http://examiners.alabama.gov/ReportSearch.aspx and searching for Chilton County Board of Education.

A copy will also be available on the Chilton County Schools website chilton.k12.al.us.