HomeMy WebLinkAbout5BCITY COUNCIL STAFF REPORT
DATE: February 24, 2022 NEW BUSINESS
SUBJECT: FISCAL YEAR 2020-21 FINANCIAL AUDIT REPORTS OF THE CITY OF
PALM SPRINGS
FROM: Justin Clifton, City Manager
BY: Department of Finance and Treasury
SUMMARY:
The certified public accounting firm of The Punn Group, LLC, completed the annual
financial reports of the City as of June 30, 2021.
RECOMMENDATION:
Receive and file the following Financial Audit Reports for fiscal year June 30, 2021:
•Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR)
•Audit Communication letter to the City Council
•Internal Control and Compliance letter to the City Council
•Passenger Facility Charge (PFC) Report
•Housing Successor Audit Communication letter to the City Council
•Public Financing Authority Financial Statements.
•Measure J Fund Report Annual Financial Report
•Measure D Independent Accountant’s Agreed Upon Procedures
•Measure A Independent Accountant’s Agreed Upon Procedures (Conrad CPA
Firm)
STAFF ANALYSIS:
Based on the results of their audit, The Punn Group provided the City with an unqualified
opinion on the financial statements, which means the City’s financial statements are free
of material misstatements and are in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting
Principles (GAAP).
The specific financial documents on which the auditor expresses an opinion are: 1) the
financial statements, and 2) notes to the basic financial statements which include required
supplementary information. These documents, along with the auditor’s opinion, audit
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City Council Staff Report
February 24, 2022 -- Page 2
FY 2020-21 Financial Audit Reports of the City of Palm Springs
communication letter, and report on internal controls form the core of the Comprehensive
Annual Financial Report (CAFR).
Additional documents that make up the CAFR include the letter of transmittal,
management’s discussion and analysis (MD&A), and a supplemental section which
includes a statistical section presenting detailed information to assist the reader in
assessing the economic condition of the City.
The Punn Group provided the Internal Controls and Compliance Letter. The purpose of
this report is to describe the scope of the auditor’s testing of internal control over financial
reporting and compliance, and the results of that testing.
The auditors identified a deficiency in internal controls, specifically in the internal services
funds, in which there were overstated liabilities. Staff has identified that the total liability
for OPEB (retiree health insurance) and recording the City’s total 2007 Pension Obligation
Bond balance (considered a long-term debt) as a total debt liability in FY2015 resulted in
negative fund balances. In FY2020-21, Staff reclassed the total liability to the General
Governmental Long-Term Debt Fund, resulting in increases to the fund balances in the
internal service funds. In addition, Staff recommended that the actuarial firm allocate the
actual OPEB and CalPERS expenditures to the applicable funds and departments which
also reflected as a fund balance restatement.
It is important to note that none of the findings identify misappropriation of funds, or failure
to pay others, or to receive payment the City was otherwise due. These prior bookkeeping
errors were incorrectly reflecting loan amounts or capital assets and affecting the fund
balance of various funds as reported on the balance sheets and have since been
corrected as noted in this staff report.
The FY2020-21 audited financial reports are available on the City’s webpage at the
following link:
https://www.palmspringsca.gov/government/departments/finance-
treasury/comprehensive-annual-financial-report
Hard copies of the reports are also available for review in the Office of the City Clerk.
FISCAL IMPACT:
None.
REVIEWED BY:
Department Director: Nancy Pauley
City Manager: Justin Clifton
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