Audit Objective

Determine whether Town of Seneca Falls (Town) officials effectively managed the Town’s cash collection function.

Key Findings

Town officials did not effectively manage the Town’s cash collection function. Therefore, cash was not adequately or appropriately safeguarded.

• Officials did not properly deposit and record approximately $10,000 of permit fees and $2,000 of security deposits for facility rentals in accordance with statutory requirements.
• The Town Supervisor’s office did not maintain adequate receipt documentation for cash collections totaling $186,873 and reconciliations were not always performed or reviewed.
• The accounting functions performed by staff were not always properly segregated or reviewed.
• The Town Board (Board) did not adopt a written Town-wide cash collection policy.

Key Recommendations

• Adopt a written cash collection policy.
• Require department officials to maintain adequate cash collection documentation and to deposit and record cash collections in a timely manner.
• Ensure that adequate reconciliations are performed and reviewed.

Town officials generally agreed with our recommendations and indicated they planned to initiate corrective action.