12/10/2020
State Auditor Nicole Galloway today released an audit of the
Office of Public Administrator for the City of St. Louis, which gave the agency
a rating of "good." The findings of the report included
recommendations that the office improve controls and procedures over bank and
escrow accounts as well as personnel, procurement and contracting procedures.
The report is part of the ongoing, comprehensive audit of St. Louis City.
The St. Louis City Public Administrator is the guardian for
approximately 530 wards and is responsible for the financial activity of
approximately 148 wards or estates with assets including bank accounts, stocks,
bonds, and annuities held in trust totaling approximately $8.7 million as of
June 30, 2020.
The audit found office personnel do not prepare adequate
monthly bank reconciliations for all wards and estates and a monthly list of
liabilities for the escrow account. Also better supporting documentation needs
to be provided to the court for the annual settlements of wards/estates with
money held in the escrow account.
The audit also found the Public Administrator has not
established a written personnel policy manual to address compensatory time or
vacation and medical leave, and leave records needed updating. The procedures
used for procuring services, contracting with vendors, and selling ward assets
also needed improvement. In addition, the office needs to develop a records
management and retention policies in order to comply with state guidance.
In her responses, the Public Administrator indicated she
would implement the recommendations of the audit. The complete audit of the
City of St. Louis Public Administrator can be found here.
In 2018, Auditor Galloway accepted
the request by the Board of Aldermen to complete a comprehensive, independent
audit of the City of St. Louis. That request came after a group of St. Louis
residents initiated a petition drive to require an audit of the city. For more
information on the ongoing audit of the city, visit auditor.mo.gov/STLAudit.
