10/04/2021
State Auditor Nicole Galloway
released today her regularly scheduled audit of Schuyler County, located in
northern Missouri. Schuyler County received an overall rating of
"good" in the audit, which matches the "good" rating
received by the county in a 2015 audit.
"My audit recommended several
areas for improvement that county government officials have shown a willingness
to implement,” Auditor Galloway said. "By doing so, the county can better
ensure efficiency and accountability for its taxpayers."
The audit recommended the county
develop an electronic communications records retention policy to comply with
state law and to improve electronic data security measures in two county
offices. County officials indicated in their responses that they will implement
these recommendations. Cybersecurity has been a focus of Auditor Galloway
throughout her time as Missouri State Auditor.
Auditors also recommended that the Sheriff
develop a better inventory control system for seized property, which was an
area of concern auditors identified in the 2015 audit. Due to the sensitive
nature of seized property, adequate internal controls are essential and would
significantly reduce the risk of loss, theft, or misuse of the stored items.
Auditors recommended that the County
Commission establish a written guidelines regarding proper use of the county
debit card, including provisions for tracking who is using the card and an
approval process for purchases.
The audit also identified incorrect
property tax calculations in 2019 and 2020, which resulted in excess property
tax collections in those years. Auditors informed the County Clerk of the
nature of the errors and the county indicated the problem has been corrected
for 2021.
A complete copy of the report can be
found here.
