Latest Audit Finds Strong Controls in New Hyde Park-Garden City Park Schools

Despite some minor clerical errors, the continues to have strong fiscal controls according to Don Hoffmann, CPA of the district’s internal auditing firm of Cullen & Danowski, paid a brief visit to the on May 7 during a meeting of the board of education.

The internal auditor conducts risk assessment, certifies that state controls are adhered to and makes recommendations. The state comptroller’s five-point plan requires internal auditors to do two types of investigations: an annual risk assessment and testing in one or more areas, which for New Hyde Park-Garden City Park have previously included purchasing activities, employee benefits, operations for facilities staff and payroll, which was looked at this past winter. The auditor also issues a corrective action plan which the board submits to the state detailing how they will react to the findings and change procedures as necessary.

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Hoffman, who stated that he personally works with over 20 school districts across Long Island, said that he met with the audit committee on May 7 and “it works very well... they’re knowledgeable, it’s engaged and they serve the district well.”

Hoffmann described the procedures within the district as “very strong” overall with a “very knowledgeable” business office staff. “Over the years you’ve done some steps where some jobs have been swapped which provide some very good backup in a small district that’s hard to find so the district should be complemented for putting that in place.”

In the report, Hoffman said that there were “clerical errors on a few payments” but that the proper controls were in place for payroll. There were also “very limited findings” on the risk assessment as prior recommendations were addressed by the district.

He also noted that because of the district’s cooperation with the interviews and audit processes, the firm is reducing their hours necessary to conduct the report as well as reduce their fee for next year by $1,300.