New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli today announced the following local government and school audits were issued.

East Aurora Union Free School District – Procurement (Erie County)

The board and district officials did not always procure goods and services in a competitive manner. Officials did not update the procurement policy or ensure that employees followed state law when procuring goods and services. As a result, goods and services were purchased without the benefit of competition, resulting in the increased risk that taxpayer dollars were not expended in the most prudent and economical manner. The board and district officials did not request proposals within the last five years for 43 professional service contracts (91% of contracts audited) totaling $1.8 million and did not obtain competitive pricing or retain documentation to demonstrate quotes were obtained for 48 purchase and public works contracts (100% of contracts audited) totaling $443,734.

Holland Patent Central School District – Fuel Inventory (Oneida County)

District officials did not adequately manage and monitor fuel access and usage or account for fuel inventory. As a result, seven enabled fuel user accounts were not needed and authorized transportation department employees completed 117 usage transactions during the audit period by sharing personal identification numbers or vehicle fobs to fuel buses. Officials also did not develop written procedures to help ensure fuel inventories were adequately managed or review fuel usage reports to monitor user access and vehicle fuel use for reasonableness.

Brockport Central School District – Financial Management (Monroe County)

From the 2017-18 through 2021-22 fiscal years, the approved budgets made it appear as though the board needed to appropriate fund balance and reserves and increase real property taxes by 13% to close projected budget gaps. However, the district incurred operating surpluses in each of those five years, totaling $20.9 million. The board overestimated appropriations by more than $30 million (8%) and underestimated revenues by a total of $8.7 million (4%). In addition, five reserves had unreasonably high balances totaling $24.5 million that were not needed or used in many years, and the debt reserve in the debt service fund had $700,000 in unidentified money that should be returned to the general fund. The district also did not have comprehensive written reserve reports or plans, or written multiyear financial and capital plans, inhibiting effective financial management.

Garrison Union Free School District – Information Technology (IT) (Putnam County)

District officials did not adequately secure the district’s network user accounts, establish physical controls, maintain complete and accurate inventory records for IT equipment or develop an IT contingency plan. In addition to sensitive IT control weaknesses, the district staff did not have sufficient documented guidance or plans to implement following an unexpected IT disruption or disaster. As a result, district officials have an increased risk they may not recover data and resume essential operations in a timely manner. Also, 40 of the 115 enabled nonstudent network user accounts (35%) were no longer needed. Unneeded user accounts could be used to inappropriately access and view personal, private and sensitive information or disable the network. In addition, 10 IT assets, including nine laptops and one printer, were not properly recorded in the district’s inventory listing.