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External audit firm outlines FY2025 plan for Garland; highlights interim testing, IT focus and single-audit areas
Summary
Weaver representatives presented the City of Garland’s FY2025 external audit plan, describing interim procedures, IT testing, and potential single-audit coverage including ARPA and a state emergency communications grant.
Weaver, the city’s outside auditing firm, briefed the Garland Audit Committee on its fiscal year 2025 audit plan at the Sept. 30 meeting, describing the team, risk-based approach and areas of emphasis for interim and year-end fieldwork.
“Any unusual transactions or any questions that they have we’ll veil all year round,” said Sarah Dempsey, the partner on the engagement, explaining the audit team structure and the planned interim-and-final timeline tied to the Sept. 30 fiscal year end. Dempsey said Weaver’s work includes an IT advisory team, data analytics and a standard audit staff; interim procedures had already begun and final fieldwork was scheduled for January–February with reporting in March.
Dempsey described the audit’s risk-based approach and named common high-risk areas for local governments: management override of controls, revenue recognition and federal grants. She told the committee Weaver is tailoring programs to payroll, disbursements, property tax collections, utilities, capital projects, and federal/state grant compliance. The firm will test internal controls during interim procedures and use data analytics on large datasets to identify unusual transactions.
On major-program testing, Dempsey said preliminary assessments indicated a possible single-audit requirement for the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) coronavirus state and local fiscal recovery fund and a state program linked to emergency communications funding for the city’s radio system. “That one is wrapping up this year,” Dempsey said of ARPA, adding final program selection would be confirmed after year-end close and the firm would notify the committee of any changes.
Dempsey also summarized upcoming Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) pronouncements to which the city will need to conform in future reporting cycles, including GASB 101 (compensated absences) and GASB 102 (certain risk disclosures).
Committee members asked whether prior IT-specific audit recommendations would be rechecked; Dempsey said Weaver reviews internal audit reports and follows up on recommendations when they might materially impact financial statements. Committee members also raised the question of which federal or state programs would be “major programs” for single-audit purposes; Dempsey reiterated the final determination depends on the fiscal-year totals and reportable thresholds.
Ending: Weaver will continue communications with city finance and internal audit staff during year-end close. The committee and city staff agreed to keep open lines of communication and to receive updates if Weaver identifies any significant issues during interim or final procedures.
