Report 2020-804 Recommendation 6 Responses

Report 2020-804: City of Lindsay: It Must Take Substantial Action to Address Its Financial Problems and Its Inadequate Management Practices (Release Date: August 2021)

Recommendation #6 To: Lindsay, City of

To ensure that the rates and fees it charges are appropriate to cover the cost of the related services, by August 2022 Lindsay should improve its accounting records so as to identify how much revenue it receives from each fee or rate.

Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From October 2022

The city has improved accounting records to identify costs for services provided. It has also improved accounting records to identify how much revenue we receive from each fee or rate.

As part of our efforts to meet this recommendation, the finance team changed receipt procedures to allow the system to capture service descriptions more accurately. This change is a solution we are able to implement until the City's financial position positively advances to where we are able to afford a new accounting software.

California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Fully Implemented


1-Year Agency Response

State Auditor Recommendation 6: To ensure that the rates and fees it charges are

appropriate to cover the cost of the related services, by August 2022 Lindsay

should do the following:

- Improve its accounting records so as to identify how much revenue it

receives from each fee or rate.

Response: The City agrees with this recommendation.

Corrective Action: By August 2022, the City's Finance Department will establish

new accounting lines so as to better identify how much revenue is received from

each fee or rate.

On August 23, 2022, City staff presented the fee tables based on Willdan Financial

Services' study and analysis (Exhibit D). New accounting lines will serve to better

identify how much revenue is received from each fee or rate pending the adoption

of a new Citywide fee schedule. These accounting lines would be based on the

results of the full Cost Allocation Plan, Comprehensive Citywide User Fee Study,

and Analysis by Willdan Financial.

City staff plans to hold a public hearing to consider the adoption of a new citywide

fee schedule, establishing and amending municipal fees and charges for various

municipal services, and repealing all other resolutions relative to municipal fees

and charges thereto.

Estimated Completion: August 2022.

Responsible Staff: Finance Department.

Status: Complete.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 1-Year Status: Partially Implemented

The city explained that it is still establishing its accounting records. Until it does so, we will continue to report this recommendation as not fully implemented.


6-Month Agency Response

By August 2022, the City's Finance Department will establish new accounting lines so as to better identify how much revenue is received from each fee or rate.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 6-Month Status: Pending


60-Day Agency Response

The city plans to establish new accounting lines so as to better identify how much revenue is received from each fee or rate.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 60-Day Status: Pending


All Recommendations in 2020-804

Agency responses received are posted verbatim.