Report 2011-131 Recommendation 21 Responses
Report 2011-131: City of Vernon: Although Reform Is Ongoing, Past Poor Decision Making Threatens Its Financial Stability (Release Date: June 2012)
Recommendation #21 To: Vernon, City of
To improve its internal controls, better control costs, and prevent abuse from occurring, the city should require the finance department to review credit card expenditures for appropriateness.
Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From July 2014
The Purchasing Manual, as updated February 4, 2014, contains a section on credit card procedures and responsibilities and outlines the responsibilities of the Finance Director to review and compare credit card statements against their corresponding receipts to ensure accuracy, accountability, and appropriateness of purchases. The City Administrator is required to perform such review for the Finance Directors credit card purchases. (See page 20 of Purchasing Manual.)
- Completion Date: February 2014
California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Fully Implemented
1-Year Agency Response
On June 25, 2013, the Finance Department issued the City of Vernon Purchasing Manual to all City departments, as adopted by the City Administrator pursuant to the City's Competitive Bidding and Purchasing Ordinance (Ordinance No. 1200). The Purchasing Manual was prepared by the Finance Department, with significant input from the City Attorney's Office and all City departments. The Purchasing Manual sets forth all of the requirements of the Purchasing Ordinance as they apply in a practical manner to the day to day operation of the purchasing system, including ten pages detailing the City's credit card policies and procedures.
- Completion Date: June 2013
- Response Date: July 2013
California State Auditor's Assessment of 1-Year Status: No Action Taken
Although the city's purchasing manual includes specific procedures for credit card purchases, it does not include a requirement for the finance department to review credti card expenditures for appropriateness.
6-Month Agency Response
The city indicates that the finance director now reviews all credit card purchases for appropriateness and obtains explanations from the purchaser or responsible department heads for questionable purchases before payments. The city expects to adopt a purchasing manual by the end of June 2013, which will include the implementation of controls required for proper separation of duties and uses of credit cards and memorialize the finance department review of credit card expenditures.
- Response Date: January 2013
California State Auditor's Assessment of 6-Month Status: Partially Implemented
60-Day Agency Response
The city did not address this recommendation in its August 2012 response. (See 2013-406, p. 194)
- Response Date: August 2012
California State Auditor's Assessment of 60-Day Status: No Action Taken
All Recommendations in 2011-131
Agency responses received after June 2013 are posted verbatim.