News

Ashtabula County -

Auditor of State Mary Taylor today released the audit of Morgan Township for 2004 and 2005.  The audit reveals many financial record keeping issues.  It also states that the township was assessed fines for not filing 2004 and 2005 annual reports until 2007.

“Complete and accurate financial records are essential to accountability,” said Taylor.  “It is important that township officials use this audit as a tool to reduce errors and make improvements in their financial record keeping.”

On December 16, 2006, the township was declared “unauditable”, or unable to be audited due to missing or incomplete financial records, for calendar years 2004 and 2005.  The “unauditable” designation will be removed from the township with today’s audit release.

The township paid $1,500 in fines, $750 for each report, for not providing 2004 and 2005 annual reports to the Auditor of State.  Ohio law requires government entities that use cash basis, or checkbook style, bookkeeping methods to file an annual report with the Auditor of State within 60 days of the end of the fiscal year.

The audit also cites specific examples of record keeping errors that could lead to fraud, waste or abuse.  Specifically, documentation of funds budgeted and received by the township did not contain the proper information.  Also, fund reconciliations were not always performed.

A copy of the full audit is available online at http://www.auditor.state.oh.us/AuditSearch/Reports/2008/Morgan_Township_05-Ashtabula.pdf.