Posted: 4:40 p.m. Monday, Nov. 9, 2015

Middletown dinged in state audit report

By Ed Richter

Staff Writer

MIDDLETOWN — 

The city of Middletown was dinged after its annual state audit found several material weaknesses.

Late last week, the Auditor of State’s Office released Middletown’s city audit for 2014 and noted several noncompliance findings on reporting of the various federal programs. However, there were no noncompliance citations or findings for recovery issued against the city.

The audit that was performed by Clark, Schaefer, Hackett & Co. covered Jan. 1 through Dec. 31, 2014, and noted that the city did not comply with reporting requirements of several programs.

According to the audit report, there were material weaknesses found in some financial statements and federal awards.

Those items were found in the Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers, the Public Safety Partnership and Community Policing Grants (COPS grant), the HOME Investment Partnerships Program, and the Federal Transit formula grants. There were other reporting errors found in the financial statements, according to the audit.

City officials concurred with most of the recommendations made by the auditors. However, some items involving the Section 8 program will not affect the city as Middletown transferred its vouchers to Butler and Warren metropolitan housing authorities. According to city officials, the program documentation and records were not accurately filed and maintained during the transition period as well as the city not maintaining a waiting list during that time.

There were also reporting areas in personnel costs implementing the HOME Investment Partnerships Program as well as for the public safety partnership and community policing grant.

City Manager Doug Adkins told the Journal-News that all of the issues listed in the audit have been addressed and corrections have been implemented.