Kids & Family

Morris School District Aces Audit

District passes with 'flying colors' for 2012-13.

Auditor Robert Morrison returned to the Morris School District Board of Education last Monday to give another favorable audit report on the district’s finances for 2012-2013. Morrison, representing the firm of Hodulik and Morrison, went as far as to say that he and his firm have no recommendations to make regarding ways to improve the district’s fiscal management.

“The district has come through its independent audit with flying colors,” Morrison said.

Morrison said that his firm is contracted to render an opinion on the financials by doing what is known as a “risk based” approached to the audit. The firm studied the process for procurement, for hiring and paying for employees as well as tracking state and federal aid.

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“We perform a variety of tests on the transactions and on the internal control structure. We perform tests to make sure requisitions are being submitted and approved before vendors are contacted. We test to make sure that before you pay anyone that the vendor has certified the work has been completed or the goods have been delivered,” Morrison said. “The lists of tests is rather lengthy and we believe the financials are fairly presented and accurate. We believe the rules have been followed. Reports on internal control structure is adequately designed and our tests indicate they are effective.”

Morrison said the same results on compliance were found when reviewing travel expenses and major state aid and grants.

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“The district is in compliance and we indicate that there is nothing in the internal controls indicative of a problem,” Morrison said. “You have three clean reports, which is as good as you can do.”

 Morrison said that for the fifth year in a row, the firm had no recommendations on how to improve their operation and he credited board secretary Chris Kelly and the employees at the school for making the job easier by being so responsive.

“My staff loves coming here,” Morrison said. “It easy to give a good report when management is taking care of business.”

Morrison said that with budget season arriving, the audit was encouraging news.

“You can rely on the data that you are getting. Reports were timely, complete and accurate and that should give you some comfort,” Morrison said.


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