One year after the provincial auditor-general ordered nine fixes to repair 鈥渟ignificant internal control weaknesses鈥� in 91原创 School District finances, only three have been 鈥渇ully or substantially鈥� adopted.
A just-released follow-up report by the auditor-general includes a four-page self-assessment by the district that admits most of the proposed reforms have not been fully implemented.
鈥淲hile the board is pleased with the progress to date, we recognize that there is more to be done and are committing to work toward full implementation,鈥� the written self-assessment states.
Trustees are working together better and they are now requiring regular financial updates from staff, but tightened internal controls and long-range planning remain works in progress, according to the report.
The auditor general reviewed the district鈥檚 financial management practices after the discovery of a multi-million dollar budget deficit in 2009.
At the time, the district was forecasting a small budget surplus.
Following the review, the report by the auditor general鈥檚 office commented the board of trustees was 鈥渘ot functioning well鈥� and wasn鈥檛 receiving 鈥渟ufficient, appropriate and regular information, particularly financial information鈥� from staff.
The report found 鈥渟ignificant internal control weakness鈥� in budgeting, accounting, reporting payroll and purchasing practices coupled with a lack of long-range panning.
Among its recommendations: trustees must work together better, understand their responsibilities, require staff to provide regular financial updates and hold staff accountable.
The auditor general also said staff at the district must tighten financial controls and provide regular updates to the trustees, and it called for a five year strategic plan, regular updates on that plan and a 10-year plan to maintain and repair district schools and other facilities.
The district report says the recommendations calling for a better working relationship among trustees, better reporting by senior management to the board and more questioning of staff by the trustees have been 鈥渇ully or substantially鈥� implemented.
The recommendations calling for trustees to have a better understanding of their roles and responsibilities, tighter internal financial controls and regular financial updates by staff have only been 鈥減artially implemented鈥� the district admits, and the call for long range planning has not been dealt with at all.
In fact, the board has rejected the suggested five-year strategic plan and opted to continue with a three-year look-ahead while promising it will 鈥渂egin discussions鈥� about implementing longer-range planning.
