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AUDIT REPORT FOR PERIOD ENDING 09/30/00 , , r... " I tt; t~ tko' E S Ii'! ({ r ,17 P r (1 0 T dIll February 21,2001 Ms. Cynthia E. Goudeau, City Clerk City Clerk Office City of Clearwater Post Office Box 4748 Clearwater, Florida 34618 RE: Transmittal of Tampa Bay Estuary Program Audit Report Dear Ms. Goudeau: Enclosed please find one (1) copy of the Tampa Bay Estuary Program Audit Report for the period ending September 30,2000. This copy is being provided to you to satisfY the requirements of the Tampa Bay Estuary Program By-Laws. Should you need further information, please call me. Sincerely, /2a1. c% Richard M. Eckenrod Executive Director F:\AuditWE93000\trancIw.ltr REC"~~" "'~D _! t::~VE . C 1: II)') ''') ,\;: ~- I..,.." -j.,.", ( ....'."" .'1:".. A M__P A~_~_~____.~__~__lJ___A._~__~____~__~_..<2.__c;___~___~_~~ CITY CLE~W~i'lprtite'm' . roo 8tb Avenue S.B. . St. petersburg/ FL 33701 . (72.7) 893-2.765 . FAX (72.7) 893-2.767 . SUNCOM 513-9497 POLICY BOARD: HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, MANATEE COUNTY, PINELLAS COUNTY, CITY OF CLEARWATER, CITY OF ST. PETERSBURG, CITY OF TAMPA, FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION, SOUTHWEST FLORIDA WATER MANAGEMENT DISTRICT, U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY. ~I --/2 h ,-(() (;) ;, I I TAMPA BAY ESTUARY PROGRAM General Purpose Financial Statements and Required Supplementary Information September 30,2000 , -. , I I TAMPA BAY ESTUARY PROGRAM Contents Pa2e Report of Independent Certified Public Accountants 2 GENERAL PURPOSE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS Combined Balance Sheet - All Fund Types and Account Groups 3 Combined Statement of Revenues, Expenditures and Changes in Fund Balances - All Governmental Fund Types 4 Combined Statement of Revenues, Expenditures and Changes in Fund Balances - Budget and Actual - General Fund 5 Notes to Financial Statements 6 - 12 REOUIRED SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Awards 13 Notes to Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Awards 14 Report of Independent Certified Public Accountants on Compliance and on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting Based on an Audit of General Purpose Financial Statements Performed in Accordance with Government Auditing Standards 15 Report ofIndependent Certified Public Accountants on Compliance With Requirements Applicable to each Major Federal Program and Internal Control Over Compliance in Accordance with OMB Circular A-133 16-17 Schedule of Findings and Questioned Costs 18 Management Letter 19 , \ I I Report of Independent Certified Public Accountants Tampa Bay Estuary Program St. Petersburg, Florida We have audited the accompanying general purpose financial statements of the Tampa Bay Estuary Program (the "Estuary") as of and for the year ended September 30, 2000. These general purpose financial statements are the responsibility of the Estuary's management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these general purpose financial statements based on our audit. We conducted our audit in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards and the standards applicable to financial audits contained in Government Auditing Standards, issued by the Comptroller General of the United States. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the general purpose financial statements are free of material misstatement. An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the general purpose financial statements. An audit also includes assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall general purpose financial statement presentation. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our oplIDon. In our opinion, the general purpose financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Tampa Bay Estuary Program as of September 30, 2000, and the results of its operations for the year then ended in conformity v...ith generally accepted accounting principles. In accordance with Government Auditing Standards, we have also issued a report dated February 2, 2001 on our consideration of the Tampa Bay Estuary Program's internal control over financial reporting and our tests of its compliance with certain provisions of laws, regulations, contracts and grants. That report is an integral part of an audit performed in accordance with Government Auditing Standards and should be read in conjunction with this report in considering the results of our audit. Our audit was made for the purpose of fonning an opinion on the general purpose financial statements taken as a whole. The accompanying schedule of expenditures offederal awards is presented for the purposes of additional analysis as required by U. S. Office of Management and Budget Circular A-13 3, A udits of . States, Local Governments, and Non-Profit Organizations, and is not a required part of the general purpose financial statements. Such information has been subjected to the auditing procedures applied in the audit of the general purpose financial statements and, in our opinion, is fairly stated, in all material respects, in relation to the general purpose financial statements taken as a whole. C4 -;P~' ~ t.t.? St. Petersburg, Florida February 2,2001 :1 I, 1"-' .. I ~ I General Fixed Assets Account Group General Long-Term Debt Account Group Totals (Memorandum Only) 2000 1999 $ $ $ 37,130 $ 64,693 445,267 255,973 38,746 185,738 139,770 3,347 4,459 6,418 6,418 22,413 22,413 16,235 $ 6,418 $ 22,413 $ 693,091 $ 527,098 $ $ $ 76,315 $ 29,992 125,506 39,445 1,219 19,965 22,413 22,413 16,235 22,413 225,453 105,637 6,418 6,418 85,000 376,220 421,461 6,418 467,638 421,461 $ 6,418 $ 22,413 $ 693,091 $ 527,098 '. TlMPA BAY ESTUARY PROGRAM I 1 Combined Statement of Revenues, Expenditures and Changes in Fund Balance - All Governmental Fund Types Year ended September 30, 2000 General Fund Revenues Federal grants $ 419,003 State specialty license plate revenue 19,494 Member dues/contributions 313,360 F ees/ contracts 19,581 Interest income 24,703 Other revenues 30,110 Total revenues 826,251 Expenditures Current Physical environment - conservation and resource management 663,099 Physical environment - other 116,975 Capital outlays 6,418 Total expenditures 786,492 Excess of revenues over expenditures 39,759 Fund balance at beginning of year Prior period adjustment 421,461 Fund balance at end of year $ 461,220 See notes to financial statements. '. .2. T1MPABAYESTUARYPROGRAM I Combined Statement of Revenues, Expenditures and Changes in Fund Balance - Budget and Actual - General Fund Year ended September 30,2000 Variance Favorable Budget Actual (Unfavorable) Revenues Federal grants $ 455,662 419,003 $ (36,659) State specialy license plate revenue 19,494 19,494 Member dues/contributions 404,632 313,360 (91,272) F ees/ contracts 19,581 19,581 Interest income 24,703 24,703 Other revenues 30,110 30,110 Total revenues 860,294 826,251 (34,043) Expenditures Current Physical environment - conservation and resource management 727,501 663,099 64,402 Physical environment - other 127,793 116,975 10,818 Capital outlay 5,000 6,418 (1,418) Total expenditures 860,294 786,492 73,802 Excess of revenues over expenditures $ 39,759 $ 39,759 Fund balance at beginning of year Prior period adjustment 421,461 Fund balance at end of year $ 461,220 See notes to financial statements. )AMPA BAY ESTUARY PROGRAM I Q Notes to Financial Statements September 30, 2000 Note 1 - Summary of significant accounting policies The financial statements of the Tampa Bay Estuary Program (the "Estuary") have been designed to conform to generally accepted accounting principles as applicable to governmental units. The Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) is the accepted standard-setting body for establishing governmental accounting and financial reporting principles. The following is a sununary of the significant accounting policies. Reporting entity In evaluating how to define the Estuary for financial reporting purposes, management has considered all potential component units. The decision to include a potential component unit in the reporting entity was made by applying the criteria set forth in Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP). The basic --but not the only-criterion for including a potential component unit within the reporting entity is the governing body's ability to exercise oversight responsibility. The most significant manifestation ofthis ability is financial interdependency. Other manifestations of the ability to exercise oversight responsibility include, but are not limited to, the selection of governing authority, the designation of management, the ability to significantly influence operations and accountability for fiscal matters. The other criterion used to evaluate potential component units for inclusion or exclusion from the reporting entity is the existence of special financing relationships, regardless of whether the Estuary is able to exercise oversight responsibilities. Based upon the application of these criteria, no potential component units were identified. Fund accounting A governmental accounting system must make it possible (1) to show that all applicable legal provisions have been complied with, and (2) to determine fairly and with full disclosure, the financial position and results of financial operations of the funds and account groups of the Estuary. In order to accomplish these objectives, the Estuary's accounting records are organized and operated on a fund basis. A fund is a fiscal and accounting entity, with a self-balancing set of accounts for recording cash and other financial resources, together with all related liabilities and residual equities, or balances, and changes therein, which are segregated for the purpose of carrying on the specific activities, or attaining certain objectives, in accordance with special regulations, restrictions or limitations. The following types of funds and account groups are used in accounting for the financial operations of the Estuary. Governmental Fund Type General Fund - To account for all financial resources except those accounted for in another fund. I TAMPA BAY ESTUARY PROGRAL 1 Notes to Financial Statements - continued September 30,2000 Note 1 - Summary of significant accounting policies, continued Account Group General Fixed Assets Account Group - To account for general fixed assets acquired for use in Estuary general activities. General Long-Term Debt Account Group - To account for the liabilities for compensated absences. Organization The Estuary is a tax exempt association of cities, counties and other nonfederal agencies which is organized to achieve the goals adopted in the Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan for Tampa Bay through detailed action plans prepared by each member agency of the association. The Estuary was established by interlocal agreement February 28, 1998 pursuant to the authority of Section 163.01, Florida Statutes. The basic operations of the Estuary, as reflected in the accompanying statement of revenues and expenditures, are financed primarily through grants from the Environmental Protection Agency and member dues/contributions from the member cities and counties and five Basin Boards of the Southwest Florida Water Management District. Basis of accounting The accounting and financial reporting treatment applied to a fund is determined by its measurement focus. All governmental fund types are accounted for using a current financial resources measurement focus. With this measurement focus, only current assets and current liabilities generally are included on the balance sheet. Operating statements of these funds present increases (i.e., revenues and other financing sources) and decreases (i.e., expenditures and other financing uses) in net current assets. The general fund utilizes the modified accrual basis of accounting. Under this method, revenues are recorded when received, except for those susceptible to accrual, which are recognized when measurable and available to finance current operations. Expenditures are recorded when the fund liability is incurred, if measurable. Funds received from government grants are refundable if they are not expended, therefore the Estuary recognizes grant revenue as expenditures are incurred. Investments Investments are recorded at market, except for amounts invested with the State Board of Administration's Local Government Surplus Funds Trust Fund, a 2a7-like investment pool, which are recorded at amortized cost, which approximates market. AMP A BAY ESTUARY PROGRAM I ~ Notes to Financial Statements - continued September 30,2000 Note 1 - Summary of significant accounting policies - continued Budgeting The annual budget is prepared on a basis consistent with generally accepted accounting principles. A tentative budget is adopted by the Policy Board after appropriate public hearing in June of each year covering the proposed operations and requirements for the ensuing fiscal year. By September 30 the Policy Board after appropriate public hearing adopts the final budget. Estimates The preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Fixed Assets Fixed assets purchased from General Fund revenues are recorded as expenditures in the General Fund at the time of purchase and capitalized in the General Fixed Assets Account Group at cost. A summary of changes in general fixed assets follows: Balance Balance October 1, September 30, 1999 Additions Deletions 2000 Furniture and equipment $ $ 6.418 $ $ 6.418 Compensated employee absences The Estuary policy provides that employees with five years of service become eligible to receive 25% of accumulated sick leave upon termination and employees with ten years of service become eligible to receive 50% of accumulated sick leave upon termination. The actual payout of accumulated sick leave upon termination is limited to the equivalent of 150 hours compensation. Other sick pay benefits are paid only in the event of actual sickness. The accrual representing vested benefits of$10,435 has been reflected in the financial statements at September 30,2000. Vacation pay can be accumulated by an employee up to 1112 times the normal amount earned for one year and is payable, ifnot used, upon termination. At September 30,2000, accrued vacation payable totaling $9,555 has been reflected in the financial statements. I TAMPA BAY ESTUARY PROG~ 9 Notes to Financial Statements - continued September 30,2000 Note 1 - Summary of significant accounting policies - continued The liability for compensated absences includes an accrual for incremental salary-related payments. These include the Estuary's share of social security and Medicare payroll taxes and the Estuary's required contribution to the Florida Retirement System. At September 30, 2000 accrued salary- related payments totaling $2,423 have been reflected in the financial statements. Accrued compensated absences are recorded in the general long-term debt account group. The amount expected to be paid from current resources is not significant. A summary of changes in accrued compensated absences is as follows: Balance October 1, 1999 Net adjustments and payments Balance September 30, 2000 $ 16 235 $ 6.178 $ 22 413 Total column on combined statements The total column on the combined balance sheet is captioned memorandum only to indicate that it is presented only to facilitate financial analysis. Data in this column does not present financial position in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles. Neither is such data comparable to a consolidation. Note 2 - Prior period adjustment During the year ended September 30, 2000, the Estuary reassessed the application of its revenue recognition criteria. As such it was determined that an additional $421,461 of revenues was both measurable and available for expenditure at September 30, 1999 resulting in an increase in revenues over expenditures of this amount for the year ended September 30, 1999. This amount has been reflected in the accompanying statement of revenues, expenditures and changes in fund balance for the year ended September 30, 2000 as an adjustment (increase) to beginning of year fund balance. The balance sheet amounts reflected in the 1999 "Totals (Memorandum Only)" column have also been restated to reflect the resultant increase in total assets (receivables) of $115,767, decrease in total liabilities (deferred revenues) of$305,694, and increase in fund balance of $421,461. Note 3 - Cash and investments Florida Statutes authorize the Estuary to invest in the State Board of Administration's investment pool, obligations of the U.S. Treasury and U.S. agencies, and interest-bearing time deposits and savings accounts in banks and savings and loans provided such deposits are collateralized as described below. I I TAMPA BAY ESTUARY PROGRAM 10 Notes to Financial Statements - continued September 30,2000 Note 3 - Cash and investments - continued At September 30, 2000, the carrying amount of the Estuary's deposits with financial institutions totaled $37,130. All of the Estuary's deposits are held in the Estuary's name in institutions certified by the State of Florida as qualified public depositories. Florida Statutes require that all depositories holding public funds collateralize deposits in excess ofF.D.I.C. insurance with the State Treasurer. Required collateral must be at least equal to the greater of 50 percent of the average daily balance, for each month, of all public deposits in excess of any applicable deposit insurance held by the depository during the 12 calendar months immediately preceding the date of any computation, or 50 percent of the public deposits in excess of any applicable deposit insurance held by the depository as of the date of any computation. The Treasurer may assess other qualified public depositories for a pro rata share of any loss suffered by a qualified public depositor in excess of its depository's collateral. Since the Estuary uses only authorized public depositories, all funds deposited with financial institutions are covered in full. At September 30,2000, the carrying amount and fair value of the Estuary's investment with the State Board of Administration's Local Government Surplus Funds Trust Fund totaled $445,267, which is the same as the value of the pool shares. The State Board of Administration is a three member board made up of the State elected officials of Governor, Treasurer and Comptroller. .They are empowered by Florida law to invest funds at the request of local governments. The Local Government Surplus Funds Trust Fund is governed by Chapter 19-7 of the Florida Administrative Code, which identifies the Rules of the State Board of Administration. These rules provide guidance and establish the general operating procedures for the administration of the Local Government Surplus Funds Trust Fund. Additionally, the Office of the Auditor General performs the operational audit of the activities and investments of the State Board of Administration. Note 4 - Lease commitments The Estuary has entered into an operating lease agreement for office space. Minimum noncancellable lease commitments, currently extending through February 28,2001, are as follows: Year Ending September 30. 2001 $ 8.052 The lease provides for annual renewal options through February 28,2005 with rental rate increases not to exceed 2.5% per year. Total rental expense for the year ended September 30, 2000 was $12,960. Note 5 - Pension plan All regular Estuary employees are participants in the Florida Retirement System (The System) The System is a cost-sharing multiple-employer defined benefit plan which is controlled by the State I I - TAMPA BAY ESTUARY PROGRAM 11 Notes to Financial Statements - continued September 30,2000 Note 5 - Pension plan - continued Legislature and administered by the State of Florida, Department of Administration, Division of Retirement. Benefit provisions are established under Chapter 121, Florida Statutes, which may be amended by the Florida Legislature. For regular class employees, the System provides for vesting of benefits after 10 years of creditable service. Normal retirement benefits are available to regular class employees who retire at or after age 62 with 10 or more years of service or who retire after 30 years of creditable service regardless of age. Early retirement is available any time after vesting with a 5% reduction of benefits for each year prior to the normal retirement age. Retirement benefits are based upon age, average compensation and years-of-service credit where average compensation is computed as the average of an individual's five highest years of earnings. Certain disability and survivor benefits are also. available from the System. There are no required contributions from individual plan members. The System funding policy provides for monthly participating employer contributions at actuarially determined rates that, expressed as percentages of annual covered payroll are adequate to accumulate sufficient assets to pay benefits when due. Level percentage of payroll employer contribution rates, established by state law, are determined using the entry-age actuarial funding method. Future plan benefit changes, assumption changes, and methodology changes are amortized within 30 years; using level dollar amounts. Except for gains reserved for rate stabilization, future actuarial gains and losses are amortized on a rolling 10% basis, as a level dollar amount. Following are the contribution rates prior to and after rates changes which became effective July 1,2000. The rate applied to regular employee salaries was 10.15% and 9.15%, respectively. These rates include .94% health insurance subsidy. Total payroll for the Estuary employees covered by the System and the Estuary's total payroll for the year ended September 30, 2000 was $232,593. The Estuary's contributions to the System plan for the years ended September 30, 2000 and September 30, 1999 were $22,884 and $32,300, respectively. These amounts are equal to the required contributions for each year. The Estuary recognizes pension expenditures equal to its required contributions, subject to the modified accrual basis of accounting. The Estuary has no responsibility to the System other than to make the periodic payments required by state statutes. Historical trend information showing the System's progress in accumulating sufficient assets to pay benefits when due is presented in the System's Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, which may be obtained by writing State of Florida, Division of Retirement, 2639 North Monroe Street, Building C, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-1560 or calling 850-488-5706. There were no significant changes in actuarial assumptions, benefit provisions, actuarial funding methods or any other significant factors that affected the Estuary's contributions during the fiscal year ended September 30,2000. I I TAMPA BAY ESTUARY PROGRAM u Notes to Financial Statements - continued September 30,2000 Note 6 - Contingent liabilities Expenditures incurred by the Estuary associated with the execution of various grants are subject to audit and possible disallowance by the grantor agency. The Estuary would be held responsible for recovery (reimbursement to the grantor agency) of disallowed amounts. Management believes that if audited, any adjustment for disallowed expenses would be immaterial in amount. Note 7 - Local match requirements The Estuary received a substantial portion of its support under grant contracts No. CE984274-98, CE984761-99, X827890-01, and MX974051-00 with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The above grant contracts require various amounts of local match. During the year ended September 30,2000 the Estuary satisfactorily met its matching requirements. I I REQUIRED SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION TALpA BAY ESTUARY PROGRAM I Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Awards Year ended September 30,2000 Federal Grantor/ Pass through Grantor/ Program Title u. S. Environmental Protection Agency Direct Programs National Estuary Program Comprehensive Plan Implementation Comprehensive Plan Implementation Total Program Surveys, Studies, Investigations Air Pollution Control Program, Section 103 Evaluation of Seagrass Disease in Tampa Bay Gulf of Mexicoffampa Bay Seagrasses Total Program Total U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Total F ederal Awards * Major Federal Awards Program Federal CFDA Number Grant! Contract Number 66.456 * CE984274-98 66.456 * CE984761-99 66.606 66.606 66.606 X984504-98 X827890-0 1 MX974051-00 $ 11 Expenditures 123,564 246,925 370,489 46,211 222 2,081 48,514 419,003 419,003 I I TAMPA BAY ESTUARY PROGRAM H Notes to Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Awards September 30,2000 Note 1 - Basis of presentation The accompanying schedule of expenditures of federal awards includes the federal grant activity of Tampa Bay Estuary Program (the Estuary) and is presented on the modified accrual basis of accounting. The information in this schedule is presented in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles as applicable to governmental units and the requirements ofOMB Circular A-l33, Audits of Slates, Local Govemments, and Non-Profit Organizations. Note 2 - Contingencies Expenditures incurred by the Estuary associated with the execution of various grants are subject to audit and possible disallowance by the grantor agency. The Estuary would be held responsible for recovery (reimbursement to the grantor agency) of disallowed amounts. Management believes that if audited, any adjustment for disallowed expenses would be immaterial in amount. , ,--.- I I Report of Independent Certified Public Accountants On Compliance and on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting Based on an Audit of Financial Statements Performed in Accordance With Government Auditing Standards Tampa Bay Estuary Program St. Petersburg, Florida We have audited the general purpose financial statements of Tampa Bay Estuary Program as of and for the year ended September 30, 2000, and have issued our report thereon dated February 2, 2001 which was unqualified. We conducted our audit in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards and the standards applicable to financial audits contained in Government Auditing Standards, issued by the Comptroller General of the United States. Compliance As part of obtaining reasonable assurance about whether Tampa Bay Estuary Program's financial statements are free of material misstatement, we petformed tests of its compliance with certain provisions of laws, regulations, contracts and grants, noncompliance with which could have a direct and material effect on the determination of financial statement amounts. However, providing an opinion on compliance with those provisions was not an objective of our audit and, accordingly, we do not express such an opinion. The results of our tests disclosed no instances of noncompliance that are required to be reported under Government Auditing Standards. Internal Control Over Financial Reporting In planning and performing our audit, we considered Tampa Bay Estuary Program's internal control over financial reporting in order to determine our auditing procedures for the purpose of expressing our opinion on the financial statements and not to provide assurance on the internal control over financial reporting. Our consideration of the internal control over financial reporting would not necessarily disclose all matters in the internal control over financial reporting that might be material weaknesses. A material weakness is a condition in which the design or operation of one or more of the internal control components does not reduce to a relatively low level the risk that misstatements in amounts that would be material in relation to the financial statements being audited may occur and not be detected within a timely period by employees in the normal course ofpetforming their assigned functions. We noted no matters involving the internal control over financial reporting and its operation that we consider to be material weaknesses. This report is intended for the information of the audit committee, management, federal and state awarding agencies and pass-through entities and is not intended to be and should not be used by anyone other than these specified parties. L4 ~;P.d/. /11~ U,,? St. Petersburg, Florida February 2,2001 I I Report of Independent Certified Public Accountants On Compliance with Requirements Applicable to Each Major Federal Program and Internal Control Over Compliance In Accordance with OMB Circular A-133 Tampa Bay Estuary Program St. Petersburg, Florida Compliance We have audited the compliance of Tampa Bay Estuary Program with the types of compliance requirements described in the U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-B3 Compliance Supplement that are applicable to its major federal program for the year ended September 30, 2000. Tampa Bay Estuary Program's major federal program is identified in the summary of auditors' results section of the accompanying schedule of findings and questioned costs. Compliance with the requirements of laws, regulations, contracts and grants applicable to its major federal program is the responsibility of Tampa Bay Estuary Program's management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on Tampa Bay Estuary Program's compliance based on our audit. We conducted our audit of compliance in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards; the standards applicable to financial audits contained in Government Auditing Standards, issued by the Comptroller General of the United States; and OMB Circular A-I3 3, A udi Is of States, Local Govemments, and Non-Profit Organizations. Those standards and OMB Circular A-B3 require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether noncompliance with the types of compliance requirements referred to above that could have a direct and material effect on a major federal program occurred. An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence about Tampa Bay Estuary Program's compliance with those requirements and performing such other procedures as we considered necessary in the circumstances. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion. Our audit does not provide a legal determination on Tampa Bay Estuary Program's compliance with those requirements. In our opinion, Tampa Bay Estuary Program complied, in all material respects, with the requirements referred to above that are applicable to its major federal program for the year ended September 30,2000. Internal Control Over Compliance The management of Tampa Bay Estuary Program is responsible for establishing and maintaining effective internal control over compliance with requirements of laws, regulations, contracts and grants applicable to federal programs. In planning and performing our audit,.we considered Tampa Bay Estuary Program's internal control over compliance with requirements that could have a direct and material effect on a major federal program in order to determine our auditing procedures for the purpose of expressing our opinion on compliance and to test and report on internal control over compliance in accordance with orvrn Circular A-B3. I I Our consideration of the internal control over compliance would not necessarily disclose all matters in the internal control that might be material weaknesses. A material weakness is a condition in which the design or operation of one or more of the internal control components does not reduce to a relatively low level the risk that noncompliance with applicable requirements of laws, regulations, contracts and grants that would be material in relation to a major federal program being audited may occur and not be detected within a timely period by employees in the normal course of perfonning their assigned functions. We noted no matters involving the internal control over compliance and its operation that we consider to be material weaknesses. This report is intended for the infonnation of the audit committee, management, federal and state awarding agencies and pass-through entities and is not intended to be and should not be used by anyone other than these specified parties. C4~~/1I~Lt.? St. Petersburg, Florida February 2,2001 ] I TAMPA BAY ESTUARY PROGRAM ~ Schedule of Findings and Questioned Costs September 30,2000 I. Summary of Auditors' Results A. An unqualified opinion was issued on the general purpose financial statements of Tampa Bay Estuary Program. B. Our audit of the general purpose financial statements disclosed no instances of noncompliance with laws, regulations and the provisions of contracts and grant agreements that is material to the general purpose financial statements. C. An unqualified opinion was issued on the Tampa Bay Estuary Program's compliance with the types of compliance requirements applicable to its major federal programs. D. Our audit disclosed no audit findings which relate to federal awards. E. Major federal programs for the Tampa Bay Estuary Program for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2000 are: Pr02ram Name CFDA# National Estuary Program 66.456 F. The threshold for determining Type A programs for Tampa Bay Estuary Program is $300,000. G. Tampa Bay Estuary Program did not qualifY as a low risk auditee under Section .530 of Circular No. A-B3. ll. Findings Related to the Audit of the General Purpose Financial Statements of Tampa Bay Estuary Program There were no findings related to the audit of the general purpose financial statements of the Tampa Bay Estuary Program ill. Findings and Questioned Costs Related to the Audit of Federal Awards There were no findings or questioned costs related to the audit offederal awards for the Tampa Bay Estuary Program I, I I The Board and Management of the Tampa Bay Estuary Program St. Petersburg, Florida Dear Members and Management: In planning and performing our audit of the general purpose financial statements of the Tampa Bay Estuary Program for the year ended September 30, 2000, we considered the Estuary's internal control structure to determine our auditing procedures for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the general purpose fmancial statements and not to provide assurance on the internal control structure. We previously reported on the Estuary's internal control structure in our report dated February 2,2001. This letter does not affect our report dated February 2,2001, on the general purpose financial statements of the Tampa Bay Estuary Program. ****** GENERAL COMMENTS REQUIRED BY THE RULES OF THE AUDITOR GENERAL, CHAPTER 10.550 Tampa Bay Estuary Program was established by interlocal agreement February 27, 1998, pursuant to the authority of Section 163.01, Florida Statutes. There were no inaccuracies, shortages, defalcations, fraud, and/or violations oflaws, rules, regulations, and contractual provisions disclosed nor recommendations proposed in the preceding annual financial audit report. During the performance of our audit of the general purpose financial statements we found no reportable instances of the following: violations of laws, rules, regulations and contractual provisions; improper or illegal expenditures; improper or inadequate accounting procedures; failure to properly record financial transactions; or other inaccuracies, shortages, and defalcations, and instances offraud. The Tampa Bay Estuary Program complied with Section 218.415, Florida Statutes (1999) regarding the investment of public funds. In addition, nothing came to our attention which would indicate that the Tampa Bay Estuary Program is in a state of financial emergency as defined by Section 218.503(1), Florida Statutes. The Annual Financial Report has been filed with the Department of Banking and Finance pursuant to Section 218.32(1 )(a), Florida Statutes for the year ended September 30,2000 and is in agreement with the audited financial report for the same period. C4, P...d-,:J/41 t,i..? St. Petersburg, Florida . February 2,2001