HomeMy WebLinkAboutHandouts_Regular__Standing Reports_Attorney_02/09/2017_Public Works IOG Audit Report " CORBETT, WHITE,
[) \ DAVIS AND ASHTON, P.A.
KEITH W. DAVIS
ATTORNEY AT LAW
Board Certified in City, County and Loin! Covernenent Law
March 3, 2017
Robert Bliss, Director of Audit
Palm Beach County Office of Inspector General
P.O. Box 16568
West Palm Beach, Florida 33416
Re: Village of Tequesta Draft Audit Report — Audit of Fuel and Vehicle Maintenance
Dear Mr. Bliss:
On behalf of Village Manager Michael Couzzo and the Village of Tequesta Public
Works Department, please accept this response to the above referenced draft audit
report. As requested, the following will respond to the finding and recommendations
contained in said report, and will offer Village management's proposed corrective action.
There is one (1) finding in the report, that being that "The Village lacks consistent
application of policies, procedures, and guidelines for fuel and vehicle operations." The
report identifies three (3) specific areas where policies, procedures and guidelines lack
consistent application (those being evaluation of quotes, recording of fuel dipstick
readings, and maintenance of fuel transaction logs).
Despite this finding, however, it is equally important to stress that the audit report
acknowledges and recognizes that the Village of Tequesta's current system of verbal
training, and verbal communication of policies and procedures is working properly and
is sufficient for ensuring that the Village's fleet is being properly maintained. Moreover,
the audit report specifically acknowledges that no major instances of control weakness
was found in the Village's current system.
Nevertheless, the report offers four (4) specific recommendations for
improvements to the Village's current system. Please see each recommendation
identified below, along with Village management's proposed corrective action thereto:
1. Create a standard quote request form, including selection criteria, when
seeking vendor quotes.
RESPONSE: When requesting quotes for the provision of goods and
services, the Village will provide uniform, written information to each
potential vendor so that all submitted quotes are based on the same
information.. Additionally, the Village will standardize its basic selection
criteria, understanding that any particular selection process may require
unique selection considerations. Within any given selection process;
however, the Village will evaluate all competing quotes based on the same
criteria.
2. Establish written policies, procedures, and forms for the Public Works
Department operations to include, but not limited to: fuel and vehicle
operations, dipstick readings, and fuel transaction Togs.
RESPONSE: The Village will reduce its current verbal policies and
procedures for Public Works Department operations (which, as noted
above, are working properly and are sufficient for ensuring that the
Village's fleet is being properly maintained), to written policies, procedures
and guidelines as recommended.
3. Create a standard form to document fuel dipstick readings to include, but not
be limited to: date of the reading, employee performing the reading, current
amount of fuel in the tank, and amount of fuel ordered and delivered.
RESPONSE: In lieu of the currently utilized documentation system, which
does not include a standard form for recordkeeping, the Village will create
and utilize a standard form as recommended.
4. Communicate and train Village staff regarding the above implemented written
policies, procedures, and forms.
RESPONSE: The Village will incorporate into its existing, comprehensive
and successful staff training program, additional training on the use of the
above standardized forms as recommended.
On behalf of the Village Manager and the staff of the Public Works Department, I
want to thank you and your team for your observations and suggestions for adding
efficiency and standardization to the Village's existing Public Works Department
operations. Even though the Village's current system is working properly and is
sufficient for ensuring that the Village's fleet is being properly maintained, and that the
audit found no major instances of control weakness, implementation of the above
recommendations will only serve to make a good system even better.
Sinter y,
/keith W. Davis, Esq.
General Counsel, Village of Tequesta
cc: Michael Couzzo, Jr., Village Manager
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