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Board approves internal audit of school nutrition program after carryover concerns
Summary
The board approved a two-week internal audit of the school nutrition program to review policies, inventory controls, vendor arrangements and use of carryover funds after staff reported carryovers being spent and some staff receiving free lunches; the audit is scheduled for June.
The Northumberland County Board of Supervisors on April 23 approved an internal audit of the school nutrition program after board members expressed concern about carryover spending and apparent policy violations.
A board member introduced the proposed internal audit to examine policies, inventory controls, vendor relationships, staff hours and use of federal program funds, saying the review would be internal (not external) and estimated to require about two weeks of part-time work in June. The board member said preliminary review found cafeteria staff receiving free lunches that were not permitted under program rules and that carryover funds from prior years were being spent in addition to current-year federal reimbursements.
Board members and staff clarified that school nutrition is primarily funded through federal programs and that, while adults can pay for meals, program rules tightly regulate the use of funds. The finance director (present in the meeting) was not opposed to the finance department conducting the audit, and the board moved and approved the internal audit by voice vote.
Why it matters: School meal programs are heavily regulated by federal rules and can carry financial liability if program requirements are not followed. The audit is intended to verify adherence to USDA program rules, ensure funds are used appropriately and recommend process changes if necessary.
The board directed staff to proceed with the planned internal audit and report back with findings.
