Agenda Item
2. Athletics Audit Update ~ Updated 5.27.2025
Summary: Presented by: Mr. Joel B. Thibodeaux, Executive Director of Internal Audits & Compliance, Chief of Staff Division
Contact: Mr. Joel B. Thibodeaux, Executive Director of Internal Audits & Compliance, Chief of Staff Division, 678.676.0740
DeKalb County Board of Education
Audit Committee Meeting
May 27, 2025
Fleet Audit Report
Athletics Audit Update
PRESENTATION AGENDA
1. Athletics Audit Update
2. Fleet Audit Report Presentation
3. Internal Audit Updates
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DeKalb County Board of Education
Audit Committee Meeting
May 27, 2025
Update on Athletics Audit
Presented by: Joel Thibodeaux, CIA – Director of Audits & Compliance
Principal Auditor: Tisha Smoots, Internal Auditor II
Audit Purpose
The Department of Athletics has undergone substantial changes over
the past fiscal and school year. The programs offered have expanded
into elementary schools and have increased in middle and high
schools. The DCSD Athletics program also operates from an Enterprise
fund, financed by ticket sales and sponsorships, which has operated
at a loss for several years. The purpose of this engagement is to
survey and assess current and transitional processes and to
recommend and advise on budgeting, cost alignment, and business
operations with the goal of bringing the fund to solvency.
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Audit Scope
• Scope Area I: Forecasting and Budgeting for Revenue and
Expenditures
• Scope Area II: Process for Revenue (inclusion of Elementary sports
and concessions)
• Audit Scope Area III: Process for Categorizing and Booking
Expenditures (including support Payroll for Athletics Events)
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Athletics Staff Engaged
Engaged the following personnel in the Athletics Department:
Ms. Myss Johnson-Jelks; Executive Director of Athletics
Ms. Valerie Gilbert; Bookkeeper 12 Month – Athletics
Mr. Brandan Lane; Director, Athletics
Ms. Janet Scott; Executive Administrative Assistant
Mr. Lorenzo “Keith” Sewell; Specialist II Athletics
Ms. Alethea Webb; Administrative
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Scope Area I Update
• Scope Area I: Forecasting and Budgeting for Revenue and Expenditures
In prior years, forecasting and budgeting has been based on expected program
needs, not expected program revenue – which has left the fund operationally
insolvent, requiring transfers from the general fund for allowed expenditures.
Following initial observations, the following needs are apparent:
• Make sure that general fund and enterprise fund expenditures are aligned correctly.
• Ensure that revenues are properly forecast
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Scope Area II Update
• Scope Area II: Process for Revenue (inclusion of Elementary
sports and concessions)
Ticket sales for all revenue generating sports are conducted online (GoFan=cashless).
However, processes for recognizing, reconciling, and reporting event revenue are
assigned to one employee. Separate employee is responsible for booking revenue into
Munis. Accounting reconciles the revenue account.
Following initial observations, the following needs are apparent:
• Department needs updated Standard Operating Procedures (currently under
development).
• Establish separation of duties and upgrade training regimen.
• Determine classification/assignment of concession revenue
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Scope Area III Update
• Audit Scope Area III: Process for Categorizing and Booking
Expenditures (including support Payroll for Athletics Events)
Still in assessment and review. In order for the Enterprise account to operate in
solvency, non-athletic expenditures must be removed from the Enterprise fund
budget to the general budget. These expenditures are being reviewed with the
Executive Director with anticipated involvement of the Division of Finance.
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Project Completion Timeline
• June 30, 2025: Draft Report
• July 1-18, 2025: Present & Review with Athletics Management;
Management Responses
• August 1, 2025: Final Report with Management Responses
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DeKalb County Board of Education
Audit Committee Meeting
May 27, 2025
Update of Fleet Operations Audit
Presented by: Joel Thibodeaux, CIA – Director of Audits & Compliance
Principal Auditor: Danielle Valentine, Senior Compliance Auditor
Fleet Operations Management
Fleet Operation Manager: Dr. Chardra Carter
Transportation/Fleet Exec. Director: Mr. Raymond Stanley*
Deputy Chief Operation Officer: Mr. Antywn Brown
Chief Operation Officer: Mr. Erick Hofstetter
*joined after the 2021-2023 Audit Period
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Capital Assets Management
Capital Assets Manager: Ms. Veitya Holt
Comptroller: Mr. Lance McConkey
Chief Financial Officer: Mr. Byron Schueneman
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Audit Purpose & Scope
The purpose of this audit is to verify the policies and procedures
governing Fleet Management; identify and assess internal controls
within the scope areas; to recommend risk mitigation and process
improvement measures
• Audit Scope Area I: Vehicle Inventory
• Audit Scope Area II: Vehicle Acquisition
• Audit Scope Area III: Vehicle Disposal (Sell/Salvage)
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Audit Scope I: Vehicle Inventory
• Objective 1: Examine internal controls related to the
reliability of records and reports regarding DCSD vehicle
inventory.
• Objective 2: Determine that systems and procedures are in
place to ensure that vehicle identification data captured is
authentic, accurate and inclusive across DCSD software
platforms.
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Audit Scope I: Vehicle Inventory
Findings & Management Responses
Control Failure IA: Insufficient, incomplete, and inaccurate vehicle information found
within management systems records. [Fleet Services Division]-High Risk
Summary & Recommendations
Fleet Services inventory records failed several data integrity tests pertaining to missing and the accuracy of pertinent
vehicle identification details. The active fleet asset inventory records in RTA and MUNIS are materially inconsistent.
The auditor deemed the vehicle inventory records unreliable.
To ensure that systems and practices are in place to manage and monitor vehicle identification records
• Regular monitoring and reporting of financial and operational information between Fleet Services & Finance Department - ‘Capital
Asset Management Team should be implemented to support decision-making and to ensure optimal management of the DCSD
vehicle fleets.
• Management should consider including the assigned department location for all vehicle assets as a critical part of data
collection/reporting as a safeguarding tool for all vehicles.
Management Response 04/23/2024
Corrective actions to address control failures: ‘1A thru 1A-3’ include the implementation of mandatory procedural training , monthly
data oversight meetings, enforcement of dual controls where appropriate, physical inventory review, and vehicle assignment and data
capture per Fleet’s system of records – beginning March 2025. 16
Audit Scope I: Vehicle Inventory
Findings & Management Responses
Control Failure IB: Unfinished/un-official Vehicle Audit Inventory Report per Fiscal
Year-2021. [Finance-Capital Asset Management]-High Risk
Summary & Recommendations
Auditors found both lapses in continuous monitoring, and the complete lack of written proper controls related to the
tracking of capital assets in the “vehicle class’.
• Regular monitoring and reporting of financial and operational information between Fleet Services & Finance
Department - ‘Capital Asset Management Team should be implemented to support decision-making and to ensure
optimal management of the DCSD vehicle fleets.
• Management should consider including the assigned department location for all vehicle assets as a critical part of data
collection/reporting as a safeguarding tool for all vehicles.
Management Response 04/23/2024
Corrective actions to address control failures -1B-1 thru 1B-4 include the implementation of dual verification related to
purchase entries, management review and approvals, historical records reconciliations, systems access restrictions,
procedures for system integration to include Munis, improve Internal Reporting such as quarterly reports that flag
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anomalies and errors – April thru June 2025.
Audit Scope II: Vehicle Acquisition
• Objective 1: Examine internal controls related to the
procurement of DCSD Support Vehicles and School Buses.
• Objective 2 : Assess risks associated with vehicle-acquisition
process; & outline potential opportunities to mitigate
associated risks.
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Control failures discovered during the audit related to vehicle purchases resided in
multiple departments due to independent actions undertaken outside of Fleet
Services.
In alignment with the determination that all vehicle purchases must be exectuted
by Fleet Services, on September 6, 2024, Transportation/Fleet Services
management agreed to carry out the responsibility of the Management Response
on behalf of the Operations Division and all vehicle purchasing departments for
Scope Area II: Vehicle Acquisition of the audit.
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Audit Scope II: Vehicle Acquisition
Findings & Management Responses
Control Failure II-A: Vehicle Purchases recorded to incorrect general ledger account. [Operations Department/Plant
Services]-High Risk
Control Failure II-B: Lack of written standard operating procedures. [Transportation Department]-High Risk
Control Failure II-C: Lack of written standard operating procedures. [Department of Public Safety]-High Risk
Control Failure II-D: After-the-Fact Purchases [Fleet Services]-Medium Risk
Improvement Opportunities
Internal Controls over processes and procedures must be strengthened by making sure that qualified personnel are staffed and equipped to meet defined
departmental objectives. Effective policies and procedures governing vehicles’ acquisition must be established or updated to improve adherence and compliance.
Collaboration and data sharing in cases where key functions overlap/cross departments is another critical step. It is important that Fleet Services Division and
Finance – Capital Assets Team establish/improve communications as needed.
Final Management Response – 2A, 2B, 2C, 2D: 4/29/2025
Fleet Services has now submitted a final draft of a Standard Operations Procedures manual, which is under review. Implementation of provisions in the handbook is
currently underway. Further corrective actions to address control failures: ‘2A thru 2D’ include the implementation of data sharing and collaboration with the
Capital Assets Team for the purpose of transparency, early detection, real-time validation of purchase transactions records and the proper assignment of GL charge
codes. The general practice using of ‘after-the-fact’ forms for all capital purchases has been eliminated. GL code compliance, and multi-step approval processes will
be strictly enforced.
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Audit Scope III: Vehicle Disposal
Objective: To Determine the adherence to Vehicle Disposal
Policy & Guidelines [FY 2021 – FY 2023] & Assess existing
Internal Controls
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Audit Scope III: Vehicle Disposal
Findings
Control Failure 3A: Inaccurate/Incomplete/Inconsistent Vehicle Disposal Records [Finance-Capital Assets]-
Medium Risk
• 3A-1: To-Date Tyler Munis General Ledger records show Revenue account (Sale/Comp-Fixed Asset) ending
balance for Fiscal Year 2021 as $13,780, but Fleet Sales shows as $9,175. For Fiscal Year 2022 the respective
totals were $126, 908 and $86,178. These discrepancies were not solely caused by transactional errors but
also by booking entries that were unable to be substantiated due to missing data sources.
• 3A-2: In addition, GL transaction dates vary from the actual Salvage receipts recorded by Fleet as it pertains
the third-party seller, GOVDEALS, Inc. GL transactions were not recorded in a timely fashion, causing
inaccuracies. Controls over this process are insufficient.
Control Failure 3B: Lack of Management Oversight to include Key Transactional Level Controls (i.e. End-of-
period reviews, reconciliations, source documents, et al) - [Finance-Capital Assets & Fleet Operation, et al]-
Medium Risk
• 3B-1: As a result of the workflow process being rendered haphazard, and balance in-accuracies allowed to
go unchecked, Management Oversight Controls have been deemed inefficient.
• 3B-2: The current Disposal Process Flow is not properly designed to foster departmental collaboration and
data corroboration at the transactional level, i.e., access to supporting documentation, data application,
reconciliations, et al. 22
Audit Scope III: Vehicle Disposal
Recommendations & Management Responses
Improvement Opportunities
Vehicle Disposal Policy & Guidelines be revamped to include clear process steps for each process owners as
well as the mandatory requirement for data to be shared across department and division lines. Management
may also want to consider updating the current Disposal Policy to reinforce stronger Controls while outlining
roles and responsibilities of all involved.
Management Response 04/23/2024
Corrective actions to address control failures: ‘3A-1 thru 3A-2’ include the implementation of a new and
improved Vehicle Disposal Policy (detailing the process for the proper disposal of DCSD vehicles via
Gov.Deals.com & Salvage Yards. End-of-period reconciliations and oversight controls will remedy the untimely
postings of vehicle sales and revenue recognition per Munis records. Vehicle disposal documentation packages
will be reviewed for adherence, accuracy and completeness.
Corrective actions to address control failures: ‘3B-1 thru 3B-2’ include the introduction/ training/ and
utilization of the newly improved guidance materials (ref. SOP document provided) to ensure that compliance
is both achievable and successful. Additional measures such as GL posting confirmations, verification checklists,
et al would provide accountability as well as meet the standards for document sufficiency necessary for an
audit.
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Follow-Up Questions or Concerns?
Audit Committee Requests for Additional Information
Office of Internal Audits & Compliance
Joel B Thibodeaux, CIA – Director
joel_b_thibodeaux@dekalbschoolsga.org
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