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2022 Monticello Auditor's Executive Governnance Summary Executive Governance Summary City of Monticello Monticello, Minnesota For the year ended December 31, 2022 June 20, 2023 Management, Honorable Mayor and City Council City of Monticello, Minnesota We have audited the financial statements of the governmental activities, the business-type activities, the aggregate discretely presented component unit, each major fund and the aggregate remaining fund information of the City of Monticello, Minnesota (the City), for the year ended December 31, 2022. Professional standards require that we provide you with information about our responsibilities under generally accepted auditing standards and Government Auditing Standards as well as certain information related to the planned scope and timing of our audit. We have communicated such information in our letter dated December 12, 2022. Professional standards require that we provide you with the following information related to our audit. Significant Audit Findings In planning and performing our audit of the financial statements, we considered the City's internal control over financial reporting (internal control) as a basis for designing audit procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances for the purpose of expressing our opinions on the financial statements, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the City’s internal control. Accordingly, we do not express an opinion on the effectiveness of the City’s internal control. A deficiency in internal control exists when the design or operation of a control does not allow management or employees, in the normal course of performing their assigned functions, to prevent, or detect and correct, misstatements on a timely basis. A material weakness is a deficiency, or a combination of deficiencies, in internal control, such that there is a reasonable possibility that a material misstatement of the entity’s financial statements will not be prevented, or detected and corrected on a timely basis. A significant deficiency is a deficiency, or a combination of deficiencies, in internal control that is less severe than a material weakness, yet important enough to merit attention by those charged with governance. Our consideration of internal control was for the limited purpose described in the first paragraph of this section and was not designed to identify all deficiencies in internal control that might be material weaknesses or significant deficiencies and therefore, material weaknesses or significant deficiencies may exist that were not identified. Given these limitations, during our audit we did not identify any deficiencies in internal control that we consider to be material weaknesses. However, material weaknesses may exist that have not been identified. Compliance and Other Matters As part of obtaining reasonable assurance about whether the City's financial statements are free from material misstatement, we performed tests of its compliance with certain provisions of laws, regulations, contracts, and grant agreements, noncompliance with which could have a direct and material effect on the financial statements. 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 or other matters that are required to be reported under Government Auditing Standards or Minnesota statutes. 2 Qualitative Aspects of Accounting Practices Management is responsible for the selection and use of appropriate accounting policies. The significant accounting policies used by the City are described in Note 1 to the financial statements. The City changed accounting policies during the year ended December 31, 2022 related to the adoption of GASB 87: Leases. We noted no transactions entered into by the governmental unit during the year for which there is a lack of authoritative guidance or consensus. All significant transactions have been recognized in the financial statements in the proper period. All significant transactions have been recognized in the financial statements in the proper period. Accounting estimates are an integral part of the financial statements prepared by management and are based on management’s knowledge and experience about past and current events and assumptions about future events. Certain accounting estimates are particularly sensitive because of their significance to the financial statements and because of the possibility that future events affecting them may differ significantly from those expected. The most sensitive estimates affecting the financial statements include depreciation on capital assets, allocation of wage expenses, liability for the City’s pension, and the liability for the City’s other postemployment benefits (OPEB). • Management’s estimate of depreciation is based on estimated useful lives of the assets. Depreciation is calculated using the straight-line method. • Allocations of gross wages and payroll benefits are approved by the City Council within the City’s budget and are derived from each employee’s estimated time to be spent servicing the respective function of the City. These allocations are also used in allocating accrued compensated absences payable. • Management’s estimate of its OPEB liability is based on several factors including, but not limited to, anticipated retirement age for active employees, life expectancy, turnover, and healthcare cost trend rate. • Management’s estimate of its pension liabilities and assets are based on several factors including, but not limited to, anticipated investment return rate, retirement age for active employees, life expectancy, salary increases and form of annuity payment upon retirement. • Managements estimate of its lease receivable and related deferred inflow of resources is based on several factors including but not limited to an estimated incremental borrowing rate. We evaluated the key factors and assumptions used to develop these accounting estimates in determining that it is reasonable in relation to the financial statements taken as a whole. The disclosures in the financial statements are neutral, consistent, and clear. Certain financial statement disclosures are particularly sensitive because of their significance to financial statement users. Difficulties Encountered in Performing the Audit We encountered no significant difficulties in dealing with management in performing and completing our audit. Corrected and Uncorrected Misstatements Professional standards require us to accumulate all known and likely misstatements identified during the audit, other than those that are trivial, and communicate them to the appropriate level of management. No misstatements were noted. Disagreements with Management For purposes of this letter, professional standards define a disagreement with management as a financial accounting, reporting, or auditing matter, whether or not resolved to our satisfaction, that could be significant to the financial statements or the auditor’s report. We are pleased to report that no such disagreements arose during the course of our audit. 3 Management Representations We have requested certain representations from management that are included in the management representations letter dated June 20, 2023. Management Consultations with Other Independent Accountants In some cases, management may decide to consult with other accountants about auditing and accounting matters, similar to obtaining a “second opinion” on certain situations. If a consultation involves application of an accounting principle to the City’s financial statements or a determination of the type of auditor’s opinion that may be expressed on those statements, our professional standards require the consulting accountant to check with us to determine that the consultant has all the relevant facts. To our knowledge, there were no such consultations with other accountants. Other Audit Findings or Issues We generally discuss a variety of matters, including the application of accounting principles and auditing standards, with management each year prior to retention as the City’s auditors. However, these discussions occurred in the normal course of our professional relationship and our responses were not a condition to our retention. Other Matters We applied certain limited procedures to the required supplementary information (RSI) (Management’s Discussion and Analysis, the Schedules of Employer’s Shares of the Net Pension Liability, the Schedules of Employer’s Contributions, the Schedule of Changes in Net Pension Liability (Asset) and Related Ratios and Schedule of Funding Progress, the Schedule of changes in the City’s OPEB Liability and related ratios), which is information that supplements the basic financial statements. Our procedures consisted of inquiries of management regarding the methods of preparing the information and comparing the information for consistency with management’s responses to our inquiries, the basic financial statements, and other knowledge we obtained during our audit of the basic financial statements. We did not audit the RSI and do not express an opinion or provide any assurance on the RSI. We were engaged to report on the supplementary information (combining and individual fund financial statements and schedules), which accompany the financial statements but are not RSI. With respect to this supplementary information, we made certain inquiries of management and evaluated the form, content, and methods of preparing the information to determine that the information complies with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America, the method of preparing it has not changed from the prior period, and the information is appropriate and complete in relation to our audit of the financial statements. We compared and reconciled the supplementary information to the underlying accounting records used to prepare the financial statements or to the financial statements themselves. We were not engaged to report on the introductory section or the statistical section, which accompany the financial statements but are not RSI. We did not audit or perform other procedures on this other information and we do not express an opinion or provide any assurance on them. 4 Future Accounting Standard Changes The following Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) Statements have been issued and may have an impact on future City financial statements: (1) GASB Statement No. 94 - Public-Private and Public-Public Partnerships and Availability Payment Arrangements Summary The primary objective of this Statement is to improve financial reporting by addressing issues related to public-private and public-public partnership arrangements (PPPs). As used in this Statement, a PPP is an arrangement in which a government (the transferor) contracts with an operator (a governmental or nongovernmental entity) to provide public services by conveying control of the right to operate or use a nonfinancial asset, such as infrastructure or other capital asset (the underlying PPP asset), for a period of time in an exchange or exchange-like transaction. Some PPPs meet the definition of a service concession arrangement (SCA), which the Board defines in this Statement as a PPP in which (1) the operator collects and is compensated by fees from third parties; (2) the transferor determines or has the ability to modify or approve which services the operator is required to provide, to whom the operator is required to provide the services, and the prices or rates that can be charged for the services; and (3) the transferor is entitled to significant residual interest in the service utility of the underlying PPP asset at the end of the arrangement. This Statement also provides guidance for accounting and financial reporting for availability payment arrangements (APAs). As defined in this Statement, an APA is an arrangement in which a government compensates an operator for services that may include designing, constructing, financing, maintaining, or operating an underlying nonfinancial asset for a period of time in an exchange or exchange-like transaction. Effective Date and Transition The requirements of this Statement are effective for fiscal years beginning after June 15, 2022, and all reporting periods thereafter. Earlier application is encouraged. PPPs should be recognized and measured using the facts and circumstances that exist at the beginning of the period of implementation (or if applicable to earlier periods, the beginning of the earliest period restated). How the Changes in This Statement Will Improve Accounting and Financial Reporting The requirements of this Statement will improve financial reporting by establishing the definitions of PPPs and APAs and providing uniform guidance on accounting and financial reporting for transactions that meet those definitions. That uniform guidance will provide more relevant and reliable information for financial statement users and create greater consistency in practice. This Statement will enhance the decision usefulness of a government’s financial statements by requiring governments to report assets and liabilities related to PPPs consistently and disclose important information about PPP transactions. The required disclosures will allow users to understand the scale and important aspects of a government’s PPPs and evaluate a government’s future obligations and assets resulting from PPPs. 5 Future Accounting Standard Changes (Continued) GASB Statement No. 96 - Subscription-Based Information Technology Arrangements Summary This Statement provides guidance on the accounting and financial reporting for subscription-based information technology arrangements (SBITAs) for government end users (governments). This Statement (1) defines a SBITA; (2) establishes that a SBITA results in a right-to-use subscription asset - an intangible asset - and a corresponding subscription liability; (3) provides the capitalization criteria for outlays other than subscription payments, including implementation costs of a SBITA; and (4) requires note disclosures regarding a SBITA. To the extent relevant, the standards for SBITAs are based on the standards established in Statement No. 87, Leases, as amended. Under this Statement, a government generally should recognize a right-to-use subscription asset - an intangible asset - and a corresponding subscription liability. A government should recognize the subscription liability at the commencement of the subscription term, - which is when the subscription asset is placed into service. The subscription liability should be initially measured at the present value of subscription payments expected to be made during the subscription term. Future subscription payments should be discounted using the interest rate the SBITA vendor charges the government, which may be implicit, or the government’s incremental borrowing rate if the interest rate is not readily determinable. A government should recognize amortization of the discount on the subscription liability as an outflow of resources (for example, interest expense) in subsequent financial reporting periods. This Statement provides an exception for short-term SBITAs. Short-term SBITAs have a maximum possible term under the SBITA contract of 12 months (or less), including any options to extend, regardless of their probability of being exercised. Subscription payments for short-term SBITAs should be recognized as outflows of resources. This Statement requires a government to disclose descriptive information about its SBITAs other than short-term SBITAs, such as the amount of the subscription asset, accumulated amortization, other payments not included in the measurement of a subscription liability, principal and interest requirements for the subscription liability, and other essential information. Effective Date and Transition The requirements of this Statement are effective for fiscal years beginning after June 15, 2022, and all reporting periods thereafter. Earlier application is encouraged. Assets and liabilities resulting from SBITAs should be recognized and measured using the facts and circumstances that existed at the beginning of the fiscal year in which this Statement is implemented. Governments are permitted, but are not required, to include in the measurement of the subscription asset capitalizable outlays associated with the initial implementation stage and the operation and additional implementation stage incurred prior to the implementation of this Statement. How the Changes in This Statement Will Improve Accounting and Financial Reporting The requirements of this Statement will improve financial reporting by establishing a definition for SBITAs and providing uniform guidance for accounting and financial reporting for transactions that meet that definition. That definition and uniform guidance will result in greater consistency in practice. Establishing the capitalization criteria for implementation costs also will reduce diversity and improve comparability in financial reporting by governments. This Statement also will enhance the relevance and reliability of a government’s financial statements by requiring a government to report a subscription asset and subscription liability for a SBITA and to disclose essential information about the arrangement. The disclosures will allow users to understand the scale and important aspects of a government’s SBITA activities and evaluate a government’s obligations and assets resulting from SBITAs. 6 Future Accounting Standard Changes (Continued) GASB Statement No. 98 - The Annual Comprehensive Financial Report Summary This Statement establishes the term annual comprehensive financial report and its acronym ACFR. That new term and acronym replace instances of comprehensive annual financial report and its acronym in generally accepted accounting principles for state and local governments. This Statement was developed in response to concerns raised by stakeholders that the common pronunciation of the acronym for comprehensive annual financial report sounds like a profoundly objectionable racial slur. This Statement’s introduction of the new term is founded on a commitment to promoting inclusiveness. Effective Date and Transition The requirements of this Statement are effective for fiscal years ending after December 15, 2021. Earlier application is encouraged. GASB Statement No. 99 - Omnibus 2022 Summary The objectives of this Statement are to enhance comparability in accounting and financial reporting and to improve the consistency of authoritative literature by addressing (1) practice issues that have been identified during implementation and application of certain GASB Statements and (2) accounting and financial reporting for financial guarantees. The practice issues addressed by this Statement are as follows: • Classification and reporting of derivative instruments within the scope of Statement No. 53, Accounting and Financial Reporting for Derivative Instruments, that do not meet the definition of either an investment derivative instrument or a hedging derivative instrument • Clarification of provisions in Statement No. 87, Leases, as amended, related to the determination of the lease term, classification of a lease as a short-term lease, recognition and measurement of a lease liability and a lease asset, and identification of lease incentives • Clarification of provisions in Statement No. 94, Public-Private and Public-Public Partnerships and Availability Payment Arrangements, related to (a) the determination of the public-private and public-public partnership (PPP) term and (b) recognition and measurement of installment payments and the transfer of the underlying PPP asset • Clarification of provisions in Statement No. 96, Subscription-Based Information Technology Arrangements, related to the subscription-based information technology arrangement (SBITA) term, classification of a SBITA as a short- term SBITA, and recognition and measurement of a subscription liability • Extension of the period during which the London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) is considered an appropriate benchmark interest rate for the qualitative evaluation of the effectiveness of an interest rate swap that hedges the interest rate risk of taxable debt • Accounting for the distribution of benefits as part of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) • Disclosures related to nonmonetary transactions • Pledges of future revenues when resources are not received by the pledging government 7 Future Accounting Standard Changes (Continued) • Clarification of provisions in Statement No. 34, Basic Financial Statements—and Management’s Discussion and Analysis—for State and Local Governments, as amended, related to the focus of the government-wide financial statements • Terminology updates related to certain provisions of Statement No. 63, Financial Reporting of Deferred Outflows of Resources, Deferred Inflows of Resources, and Net Position • Terminology used in Statement 53 to refer to resource flows statements. Effective Date and Transition The requirements of this Statement that are effective as follows: • The requirements related to extension of the use of LIBOR, accounting for SNAP distributions, disclosures of nonmonetary transactions, pledges of future revenues by pledging governments, clarification of certain provisions in Statement 34, as amended, and terminology updates related to Statement 53 and Statement 63 are effective upon issuance. • The requirements related to leases, PPPs, and SBITAs are effective for fiscal years beginning after June 15, 2022, and all reporting periods thereafter. • The requirements related to financial guarantees and the classification and reporting of derivative instruments within the scope of Statement 53 are effective for fiscal years beginning after June 15, 2023, and all reporting periods thereafter. The Board considered the effective dates for the requirements of this Statement in light of the COVID-19 pandemic and in concert with Statement No. 95, Postponement of the Effective Dates of Certain Authoritative Guidance. How the Changes in This Statement Will Improve Accounting and Financial Reporting The requirements of this Statement will enhance comparability in the application of accounting and financial reporting requirements and will improve the consistency of authoritative literature. Consistent authoritative literature enables governments and other stakeholders to more easily locate and apply the correct accounting and financial reporting provisions, which improves the consistency with which such provisions are applied. The comparability of financial statements also will improve as a result of this Statement. Better consistency and comparability improve the usefulness of information for users of state and local government financial statements. GASB Statement No. 100 - Accounting Changes and Error Corrections - an amendment of GASB Statement No. 62 Summary The primary objective of this Statement is to enhance accounting and financial reporting requirements for accounting changes and error corrections to provide more understandable, reliable, relevant, consistent, and comparable information for making decisions or assessing accountability. This Statement defines accounting changes as changes in accounting principles, changes in accounting estimates, and changes to or within the financial reporting entity and describes the transactions or other events that constitute those changes. As part of those descriptions, for (1) certain changes in accounting principles and (2) certain changes in accounting estimates that result from a change in measurement methodology, a new principle or methodology should be justified on the basis that it is preferable to the principle or methodology used before the change. That preferability should be based on the qualitative characteristics of financial reporting—understandability, reliability, relevance, timeliness, consistency, and comparability. This Statement also addresses corrections of errors in previously issued financial statements. 8 Future Accounting Standard Changes (Continued) This Statement prescribes the accounting and financial reporting for (1) each type of accounting change and (2) error corrections. This Statement requires that (a) changes in accounting principles and error corrections be reported retroactively by restating prior periods, (b) changes to or within the financial reporting entity be reported by adjusting beginning balances of the current period, and (c) changes in accounting estimates be reported prospectively by recognizing the change in the current period. The requirements of this Statement for changes in accounting principles apply to the implementation of a new pronouncement in absence of specific transition provisions in the new pronouncement. This Statement also requires that the aggregate amount of adjustments to and restatements of beginning net position, fund balance, or fund net position, as applicable, be displayed by reporting unit in the financial statements. This Statement requires disclosure in notes to financial statements of descriptive information about accounting changes and error corrections, such as their nature. In addition, information about the quantitative effects on beginning balances of each accounting change and error correction should be disclosed by reporting unit in a tabular format to reconcile beginning balances as previously reported to beginning balances as restated. Furthermore, this Statement addresses how information that is affected by a change in accounting principle or error correction should be presented in required supplementary information (RSI) and supplementary information (SI). For periods that are earlier than those included in the basic financial statements, information presented in RSI or SI should be restated for error corrections, if practicable, but not for changes in accounting principles. Effective Date and Transition The requirements of this Statement are effective for accounting changes and error corrections made in fiscal years beginning after June 15, 2023, and all reporting periods thereafter. Earlier application is encouraged. How the Changes in This Statement Will Improve Accounting and Financial Reporting The requirements of this Statement will improve the clarity of the accounting and financial reporting requirements for accounting changes and error corrections, which will result in greater consistency in application in practice. In turn, more understandable, reliable, relevant, consistent, and comparable information will be provided to financial statement users for making decisions or assessing accountability. In addition, the display and note disclosure requirements will result in more consistent, decision useful, understandable, and comprehensive information for users about accounting changes and error corrections. GASB Statement No. 101 - Compensated Absences Summary The objective of this Statement is to better meet the information needs of financial statement users by updating the recognition and measurement guidance for compensated absences. That objective is achieved by aligning the recognition and measurement guidance under a unified model and by amending certain previously required disclosures. This Statement requires that liabilities for compensated absences be recognized for (1) leave that has not been used and (2) leave that has been used but not yet paid in cash or settled through noncash means. A liability should be recognized for leave that has not been used if (a) the leave is attributable to services already rendered, (b) the leave accumulates, and (c) the leave is more likely than not to be used for time off or otherwise paid in cash or settled through noncash means. Leave is attributable to services already rendered when an employee has performed the services required to earn the leave. Leave that accumulates is carried forward from the reporting period in which it is earned to a future reporting period during which it may be used for time off or otherwise paid or settled. In estimating the leave that is more likely than not to be used or otherwise paid or settled, a government should consider relevant factors such as employment policies related to compensated absences and historical information about the use or payment of compensated absences. However, leave that is more likely than not to be settled through conversion to defined benefit postemployment benefits should not be included in a liability for compensated absences. 9 Future Accounting Standard Changes (Continued) This Statement requires that a liability for certain types of compensated absences—including parental leave, military leave, and jury duty leave—not be recognized until the leave commences. This Statement also requires that a liability for specific types of compensated absences not be recognized until the leave is used. This Statement also establishes guidance for measuring a liability for leave that has not been used, generally using an employee’s pay rate as of the date of the financial statements. A liability for leave that has been used but not yet paid or settled should be measured at the amount of the cash payment or noncash settlement to be made. Certain salary-related payments that are directly and incrementally associated with payments for leave also should be included in the measurement of the liabilities. With respect to financial statements prepared using the current financial resources measurement focus, this Statement requires that expenditures be recognized for the amount that normally would be liquidated with expendable available financial resources. Effective Date and Transition The requirements of this Statement are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2023, and all reporting periods thereafter. Earlier application is encouraged. How the Changes in This Statement Will Improve Accounting and Financial Reporting The unified recognition and measurement model in this Statement will result in a liability for compensated absences that more appropriately reflects when a government incurs an obligation. In addition, the model can be applied consistently to any type of compensated absence and will eliminate potential comparability issues between governments that offer different types of leave. The model also will result in a more robust estimate of the amount of compensated absences that a government will pay or settle, which will enhance the relevance and reliability of information about the liability for compensated absences (1)Note. From GASB Pronouncements Summaries. Copyright 2022 by the Financial Accounting Foundation, 401 Merritt 7, Norwalk, CT 06856, USA, and is reproduced with permission. * * * * * Restriction on Use This communication is intended solely for the information and use of management, City Council, the Minnesota Office of the State Auditor and others within the City and is not intended to be and should not be used by anyone other than these specified parties. Our audit would not necessarily disclose all weaknesses in the system because it was based on selected tests of the accounting records and related data. The comments and recommendations in the report are purely constructive in nature, and should be read in this context. If you have any questions or wish to discuss any of the items contained in this letter, please feel free to contact us at your convenience. We wish to thank you for the continued opportunity to be of service and for the courtesy and cooperation extended to us by your staff. Abdo Minneapolis, Minnesota June 20, 2023 10