4. On the day of the cash count, the emergency investigation fund was short by $4,580.
It is not known how long the cash shortage has existed. The shortage was not
detected earlier because the fund had not received adequate independent oversight.
5. The Sheriff’s petty cash, emergency travel, and emergency investigation fund
custodians have not been collecting signed receipts, although the ledgers for the petty
cash and emergency travel fund record who received the disbursement, and the
purpose of the purchase.
6. The fund should not only be large enough to prevent unnecessarily frequent
replenishments, but also the excess cash should not be kept in the fund needlessly.
Unnecessary cash is at an increased risk for misappropriation. The Sheriff’s Project
Coordinator has indicated that the petty cash fund is no longer needed, and will be
turned in to the Treasurer.
7. The petty cash fund custodian should not be someone who also routinely receives
advances from the fund.
8. Actual Parks cash counts reflected a total balance of $427 more than what was
recorded in the financial system. A Park Ranger explained that one of the larger
unrecorded change funds had been in existence for years, and has not been turned in
to the Treasurer at the end of each summer season with the other change funds.
9. Staff signatures are collected when the funds are disbursed, but in one case the
amount of cash counted exceeded the amount the staff member signed for by $25.