4.1 DO NOT PRINT - Compliance Report
City of Otsego
Wright County, Minnesota
Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Awards and
Reports on Compliance in Accordance with
Government Auditing Standards, Uniform Guidance, and
Legal Compliance
December 31, 2023
City of Otsego
Table of Contents
Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Awards 1
Notes to the Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Awards
2
Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting and on Compliance
and Other Matters Based on an Audit of Financial Statements Performed in
Accordance with Government Auditing Standards 3
Report on Compliance for each Major Federal Program and on Internal Control over
Compliance Performed in Accordance with the Uniform Guidance 5
Schedule of Findings and Questioned Costs 8
Minnesota Legal Compliance 11
See notes to schedule of expenditures and federal awards. 1
City of Otsego
Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Awards
For the Year Ended December 31, 2023
Federal
Assistance
Listing
Number Expenditures
Environmental Protection Agency
Passed through Minnesota Public Facility Authority
Capitalization Loans for Clean Water State Revolving Funds 66.458 13,911,395$
Department of the Treasury
Passed through Wright County
COVID-19 Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds 21.027 737,311
Total federal expenditures 14,648,706$
Federal Grantor/Pass-Through Grantor/Grant Program Title
2
City of Otsego
Notes to Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Awards
NOTE 1 – BASIS OF PRESENTATION
The accompanying Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Awards (the “Schedule”) includes the federal
award activity of the City under programs of the federal government for the year-ended
December 31, 2023. The information in this Schedule is presented in accordance with the
requirements of Title 2 U.S. Code of Federal Regulations Part 200, Uniform Administrative
Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (Uniform Guidance).
Because the Schedule presents only a selected portion of the operations of the City, it is not
intended to and does not present the financial position, changes in net position, or cash flows of the
City.
NOTE 2 – SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
Expenditures reported on the Schedule are reported on the modified accrual basis of accounting.
Such expenditures are recognized following the cost principles contained in the Uniform Guidance,
wherein certain types of expenditures are not allowable or are limited as to reimbursement.
NOTE 3 – PASS-THROUGH GRANT NUMBERS
All pass-through entities listed above use the same Assistance Listing numbers as the federal grantors
to identify these grants and have not assigned any additional identifying numbers.
NOTE 4 – INDIRECT COST RATE
The City did not elect to use the 10 percent de minimis indirect cost rate, as allowed under the
Uniform Guidance.
3
Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting
and on Compliance and Other Matters Based on an Audit of
Financial Statements Performed in Accordance with
Government Auditing Standards
Independent Auditor’s Report
Honorable Mayor and Members
of the City Council
City of Otsego
Otsego, Minnesota
We have audited, in accordance with auditing standards generally accepted in the United States of
America and the standards applicable to financial audits contained in Government Auditing
Standards issued by the Comptroller General of the United States, the financial statements of the
governmental activities, the business-type activities, each major fund, and the aggregate remaining
fund information of the City of Otsego, Minnesota as of and for the year ended December 31, 2023,
and the related notes to financial statements, which collectively comprise the City’s basic financial
statements and have issued our report thereon dated June 6, 2024.
Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting
In planning and performing our audit of the financial statements, we considered the City’s internal
control over financial reporting (internal control) to determine the audit procedures that are
appropriate in the circumstances for the purpose of expressing our opinions on the financial
statements, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the City’s
internal control. Accordingly, we do not express an opinion on the effectiveness of the City’s internal
control.
A deficiency in internal control exists when the design or operation of a control does not allow
management or employees, in the normal course of performing their assigned functions, to prevent,
or detect and correct, misstatements on a timely basis. A material weakness is a deficiency, or a
combination of deficiencies, in internal control such that there is a reasonable possibility that a
material misstatement of the City’s financial statements will not be prevented, or detected and
corrected, on a timely basis. A significant deficiency is a deficiency, or a combination of
deficiencies, in internal control that is less severe than a material weakness, yet important enough
to merit attention by those charged with governance.
Our consideration of internal control was for the limited purpose described in the first paragraph of
this section and was not designed to identify all deficiencies in internal control that might be
material weaknesses or significant deficiencies and therefore, material weaknesses or significant
deficiencies may exist that were not identified. Given these limitations, during our audit we did not
identify any deficiencies in internal control that we consider to be material weaknesses. We did
identify a certain deficiency in internal control, described in the accompanying Schedule of Findings
and Questioned Costs that we consider to be a significant deficiency as audit finding 2023-001.
4
Report on Compliance and Other Matters
As part of obtaining reasonable assurance about whether the City’s financial statements are free
from material misstatement, we performed tests of its compliance with certain provisions of laws,
regulations, contracts, and grant agreements, noncompliance with which could have a direct and
material effect on the determination of financial statement amounts. However, providing an opinion
on compliance with those provisions was not an objective of our audit, and accordingly, we do not
express such an opinion. The results of our tests disclosed no instances of noncompliance or other
matters that are required to be reported under Government Auditing Standards.
City’s Response to Finding
Government Auditing Standards requires the auditor to perform limited procedures on the City’s
response to the finding identified in our audit is described in the accompanying Schedule of Findings
and Questioned Costs. The City’s response was not subjected to the other auditing procedures
applied in the audit of the financial statements and, accordingly, we express no opinion on the
response.
Purpose of this Report
The purpose of this report is solely to describe the scope of our testing of internal control and
compliance and the results of that testing, and not to provide an opinion on the effectiveness of the
City’s internal control or on compliance. This report is an integral part of an audit performed in
accordance with Government Auditing Standards in considering the City’s internal control and
compliance. Accordingly, this communication is not suitable for any other purpose.
St. Cloud, Minnesota
June 6, 2024
5
Report on Compliance for each Major Federal Program
and Report on Internal Control over Compliance in Accordance with
the Uniform Guidance
Independent Auditor’s Report
Honorable Mayor and Members
of the City Council
City of Otsego
Otsego, Minnesota
Report on Compliance for Each Major Federal Program
Opinion on Each Major Federal Program
We have audited the City’s compliance with the types of compliance requirements identified as
subject to audit in the OMB Compliance Supplement that could have a direct and material effect the
City’s major federal program for the year ended December 31, 2023. The City’s major federal
program is identified in the summary of auditor’s results section of the accompanying Schedule of
Findings and Questioned Costs.
In our opinion, the City complied, in all material respects, with the types of compliance
requirements referred to above that could have a direct and material effect on its major federal
program for the year ended December 31, 2023.
Basis for Opinion on Each Major Federal Program
We conducted our audit of compliance in accordance with auditing standards generally accepted in
the United States of America (GAAS); the standards applicable to financial audits contained in
Government Auditing Standards issued by the Comptroller General of the United States (Government
Auditing Standards); and the audit requirements of Title 2 U.S. Code of Federal Regulations Part
200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal
Awards (Uniform Guidance). Our responsibilities under those standards and the Uniform Guidance are
further described in the Auditor’s Responsibilities for the Audit of Compliance section of our report.
We are required to be independent of the City and to meet our other ethical responsibilities, in
accordance with relevant ethical requirements relating to our audit. We believe that the audit
evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion on
compliance for each major federal program. Our audit does not provide a legal determination of the
City’s compliance with the compliance requirements referred to above.
Responsibilities of Management for Compliance
Management is responsible for compliance with the requirements referred to above and for the
design, implementation, and maintenance of effective internal control over compliance with the
requirements of laws, statutes, regulations, rules and provisions of contracts or grant agreements
applicable to the City’s federal programs.
6
Auditor’s Responsibilities for the Audit of Compliance
Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether material noncompliance with the
compliance requirements referred to above occurred, whether due to fraud or error, and express an
opinion on the City’s compliance based on our audit. Reasonable assurance is a high level of
assurance but is not absolute assurance and therefore is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in
accordance with GAAS, Government Auditing Standards, and the Uniform Guidance will always
detect material noncompliance when it exists. The risk of not detecting material noncompliance
resulting from fraud is higher than for that resulting from error, as fraud may involve collusion,
forgery, intentional omissions, misrepresentations, or the override of internal control.
Noncompliance with the compliance requirements referred to above is considered material, if there
is a substantial likelihood that, individually or in the aggregate, it would influence the judgment
made by a reasonable user of the report on compliance about the City’s compliance with the
requirements of each major federal program as a whole.
In performing an audit in accordance with GAAS, Government Auditing Standards, and the Uniform
Guidance, we:
Exercise professional judgment and maintain professional skepticism throughout the audit.
Identify and assess the risks of material noncompliance, whether due to fraud or error, and
design and perform audit procedures responsive to those risks. Such procedures include
examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the City’s compliance with the compliance
requirements referred to above and performing such other procedures as we considered
necessary in the circumstances.
Obtain an understanding of the City’s internal control over compliance relevant to the audit
in order to design audit procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances and to test and
report on internal control over compliance in accordance with the Uniform Guidance, but not
for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the City of Otsego’s internal
control over compliance. Accordingly, no such opinion is expressed.
We are required to communicate with those charged with governance regarding, among other
matters, the planned scope and timing of the audit and any significant deficiencies and material
weaknesses in internal control over compliance that we identified during the audit.
Report on Internal Control over Compliance
A deficiency in internal control over compliance exists when the design or operation of a control over
compliance does not allow management or employees, in the normal course of performing their
assigned functions, to prevent, or detect and correct, noncompliance with a type of compliance
requirement of a federal program on a timely basis. A material weakness in internal control over
compliance is a deficiency, or combination of deficiencies, in internal control over compliance, such
that there is a reasonable possibility that material noncompliance with a type of compliance
requirement of a federal program will not be prevented, or detected and corrected, on a timely
basis. A significant deficiency in internal control over compliance is a deficiency, or a combination of
deficiencies, in internal control over compliance with a type of compliance requirement of a federal
program that is less severe than a material weakness in internal control over compliance , yet
important enough to merit attention by those charged with governance.
7
Report on Internal Control over Compliance (Continued)
Our consideration of internal control over compliance was for the limited purpose described in
Auditor’s Responsibilities for the Audit of Compliance section and was not designed to identify all
deficiencies in internal control over compliance that might be material weaknesses or significant
deficiencies in internal control over compliance. Given these limitations, during our audit we did not
identify any deficiencies in internal control over compliance that we consider to be material
weaknesses, as defined above. However, material weaknesses or significant deficiencies in internal
control over compliance may exist that were not identified.
Our audit was not designed for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of internal
control over compliance. Accordingly, no such opinion is expressed.
The purpose of this report on internal control over compliance is solely to describe the scope of our
testing of internal control over compliance and the results of that testing based on the requirements
of the Uniform Guidance. Accordingly, this report is not suitable for any other purpose.
Report on Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Awards Required by the Uniform Guidance
We have audited the financial statements of the governmental activities, the business-type
activities, each major fund, and the aggregate remaining fund information of the City of Otsego,
Minnesota as of and for the year ended December 31, 2023, and the related notes to the basic
financial statements, which collectively comprise the City’s basic financial statements. We issued
our report thereon dated June 6, 2024, which contained unmodified opinions on those financial
statements. Our audit was conducted for the purpose of forming opinions on the financial statements
that collectively comprise the basic financial statements. The accompanying Schedule of
Expenditures of Federal Awards is presented for purposes of additional analysis as required by Title 2
U.S. Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost
Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (Uniform Guidance) and is also not a required
part of the financial statements. Such information is the responsibility of management and was
derived from and relates directly to the underlying accounting and other records used to prepare the
basic financial statements. The information has been subjected to the auditing procedures applied in
the audit of the basic financial statements and certain additional procedures, including comparing
and reconciling such information directly to the underlying accounting and other records used to
prepare the basic financial statements or to the basic financial statements themselves, and other
additional procedures in accordance with auditing standards generally accepted in the United States
of America. In our opinion, the Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Awards is fairly stated, in all
material respects, in relation to the basic financial statements as a whole.
St. Cloud, Minnesota
June 6, 2024
8
City of Otsego
Schedule of Findings and Questioned Costs
SECTION I – SUMMARY OF AUDITOR’S RESULTS
Financial Statements
Type of auditor’s report issued:
We issued an unmodified opinion on
the fair presentation of the financial
statements of the governmental
activities, business-type activities,
each major fund, and the aggregate
remaining fund information in
accordance with accounting principles
generally accepted in the United States
of America (GAAP).
Internal control over financial reporting:
Material weakness(es) identified? No
Significant deficiency(ies) identified? Yes, Audit Finding 2023-001
Noncompliance material to financial statements noted? No
Federal Awards
Type of auditor’s report issued on compliance for major
programs: Unmodified
Internal control over major programs:
Material weakness(es) identified? No
Significant deficiency(ies) identified? None reported
Any audit findings disclosed that are required to
be reported in accordance with 2 CFR 200.516(a)? No
Identification of Major Programs
Assistance Listing No.: 66.458
Name of Federal Program or Cluster:
Capitalization Loans for Clean Water
State Revolving Funds
Dollar threshold used to distinguish
between type A and type B programs: $750,000
Auditee qualified as low risk auditee? No
9
City of Otsego
Schedule of Findings and Questioned Costs
SECTION II – FINANCIAL STATEMENT FINDING
Audit Finding 2023-001
Criteria:
Internal control that supports the City’s ability to initiate record, process and report financial data
consistent with the assertions of management in the financial statements requires adequate
segregation of accounting duties.
Condition:
The City had a lack of segregation of accounting duties due to a limited number of office employees.
Adequate segregation of accounting duties is in place when the following four areas of a transaction
have been separated: authorization, custody, recording, and reconciliation. Examples of functions
within the City that demonstrate this lack of segregation of accounting duties include, but are not
limited to, the following:
1. Cash Receipts – The Utility Billing Clerk and Accountant have access to initiate and record
receipts. The Utility Billing Clerk is also responsible for depositing cash receipts. The
Accountant is also involved in the reconciliation process and has full access to the general
ledger.
2. Utility Billing Process – The Utility Billing Clerk is responsible for handling customer payments,
depositing payments received.
3. Disbursements – Due to small staff the City allows access to other employees to perform
disbursement related activities in order to fill in for normal roles and responsibilities in the
absences of other staff. In the absence of the Accountant, the Utility Billing Clerk has access
to record and cut checks and has access to blank checks.
4. Financial Reporting and Journal Entry Process – The Finance Director and Accountant have full
access to the general ledger and can make adjustments without review during the monthly
and year-end financial closing process.
Context:
This finding impacts the internal control for all significant accounting functions.
Effect or Potential Effect:
The lack of adequate segregation of accounting duties could adversely affect the City’s ability to
initiate, record, process, and report financial data consistent with the assertions of management in
the financial statements.
Cause:
There are a limited number of office employees.
Recommendation:
Continue to review the accounting system, including changes that may occur. Implement segregation
whenever practical.
10
City of Otsego
Schedule of Findings and Questioned Costs
SECTION II – FINANCIAL STATEMENT FINDING (CONTINUED)
AUDIT FINDING 2023-001 (CONTINUED)
Views of Responsible Officials and Planned Corrective Action:
The City is aware of the limited segregation of duties as a result of our limited number of staffing.
The City is committed to an environment with strong internal controls and is constantly evaluating
the system and implementation of compensating controls when available.
SECTION III – FEDERAL AWARD FINDINGS AND QUESTIONED COSTS
There were no questioned costs.
SECTION IV – PRIOR YEAR FINDINGS AND QUESTIONED COSTS
None
11
Minnesota Legal Compliance
Independent Auditor’s Report
Honorable Mayor and Members
of the City Council
City of Otsego
Otsego, Minnesota
We have audited, in accordance with auditing standards generally accepted in the United States of
America, and the standards applicable to financial audits contained in Government Auditing
Standards, issued by the Comptroller General of the United States, the financial statements of the
governmental activities, the business-type activities, each major fund, and the aggregate remaining
fund information of the City of Otsego, Minnesota as of and for the year ended December 31, 2023,
and the related notes to basic financial statements, and have issued our report thereon dated
June 6, 2024.
In connection with our audit, nothing came to our attention that caused us to believe that the City
failed to comply with the provisions of contracting – bid laws, depositories of public funds and public
investments, conflicts of interest, public indebtedness, claims and disbursements, miscellaneous
provisions, and tax increment financing sections of the Minnesota Legal Compliance Audit Guide for
Cities, promulgated by the State Auditor pursuant to Minnesota Statutes § 6.65, insofar as they
relate to accounting matters. However, our audit was not directed primarily toward obtaining
knowledge of such noncompliance. Accordingly, had we performed additional procedures, other
matters may have come to our attention regarding the City’s noncompliance with the above
referenced provisions, insofar as they relate to accounting matters.
The purpose of this report is solely to describe the scope of our testing of compliance and the results
of that testing, and not to provide an opinion on compliance. Accordingly, this communication is not
suitable for any other purpose.
St. Cloud, Minnesota
June 6, 2024