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2023 Monticello Executive Governance SummaryExecutive Governance Summary City of Monticello Monticello, Minnesota For the year ended December 31, 2023 May 20, 2024 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, 2023. 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 April 8, 2024. 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 of material misstatement, we performed tests of its compliance with certain provisions of laws, regulations, contracts and grants, and 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. Also, in accordance with the Uniform Guidance, we examined, on a test basis, evidence about the City’s compliance with the types of compliance requirements described in the “U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Compliance Supplement” applicable to each of its major Federal programs for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the City’s compliance with those requirements and for compliance with federal statutes, regulations, and the terms and conditions of its federal awards applicable to its federal programs. While our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion, it does not provide a legal determination on the City’s compliance with those requirements. The results of our tests disclosed no instances of noncompliance or other matters which are required to be reported in accordance with the Uniform Guidance, Government Auditing St andards 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 did not change accounting policies during the year ended December 31, 2023. 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 May 20, 2024. 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 and schedule of federal awards), 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. 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. 100 - Accounting Changes and Error Corrections Effective: 12/31/2024 GASB Statement No. 101 - Compensated Absences Effective: 12/31/2024 GASB Statement No. 102 – Certain Risk Disclosures Effective: 12/31/2025 Further information on upcoming GASB pronouncements. 4 * * * * * 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 you r 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 May 20, 2024 5