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2022-01-12 Hayes Audit AgreementJanuary 12, 2022 City of Blair, Nebraska Attn: Rodney A. Storm City Administrator 218 South 16"' Street Blair, NE 68008 We are pleased to confirm our understanding of the services we are to provide City of Blair, Nebraska (the City) for the year ended September 30, 2021. We will audit the financial statements of the governmental activities, the business -type activities, each major fund, and the aggregate remaining fund information, which collectively comprise the basic financial statements, of the City as of and for the year ended September 30, 2021. Accounting standards generally accepted in the United States of America provide for certain required supplementary information (RSI), such as management's discussion and analysis (MD&A), to supplement the City's basic financial statements. Such information, although not a part of the basic financial statements, is required by the Governmental Accounting Standards Board who considers it to be an essential part of financial reporting for placing the basic financial statements in an appropriate operational, economic, or historical context. As part of our engagement, we will apply certain limited procedures to the City's RSI in accordance with auditing standards generally accepted in the United States of America. These limited procedures will consist 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 will not express an opinion or provide any assurance on the information because the limited procedures do not provide us with sufficient evidence to express an opinion or provide any assurance. The following RSI is required by generally accepted accounting principles and will be subjected to certain limited procedures, but will not be audited: 1) Management's discussion and analysis. 2) Budgetary comparison schedules. We have also been engaged to report on supplementary information other than RSI that accompanies City's financial statements. We will subject the following supplementary information to the auditing procedures applied in our audit of the financial statements and certain additional procedures, including comparing and reconciling such information directly to the underlying accounting and other records used to prepare the financial statements or to the financial statements themselves, and other additional procedures in accordance with auditing standards generally accepted in the United States of America and will provide an opinion on it in relation to the financial statements as a whole: 1) Schedule of expenditures of federal awards and related notes 2) Combining balance sheet — general fiend 3) Combining statement of revenues, expenditures, and changes in fund balance — general fund Audit Objectives The objective of our audit is the expression of opinions as to whether your financial statements are fairly presented, in all material respects, in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles and to report on the fairness of the supplementary information referred to in the second paragraph when considered in relation to the financial statements as a whole. The objective also includes reporting on— Internal control over financial reporting and compliance with provisions of laws, regulations, contracts, and award agreements, noncompliance with which could have a material effect on the financial statements in accordance with Government Auditing Standards. ® Internal control over compliance related to major programs and an opinion (or disclaimer of opinion) on compliance with federal statutes, regulations, and the terms and conditions of federal awards that could have a direct and material effect on each major program in accordance with the Single Audit Act Amendments of 1996 and Title 2 U.S. Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Aivords (Uniform Guidance). The Government Auditing Standards report on internal control over financial reporting and on compliance and other matters will include a paragraph that states that (1) the purpose of the report is solely to describe the scope of testing of internal control and compliance and the results of that testing, and not to provide an opinion on the effectiveness of the entity's internal control or on compliance, and (2) the report is an integral part of an audit performed in accordance with Government Auditing Standards in considering the entity's internal control and compliance. The Uniform Guidance report on internal control over compliance will include a paragraph that states that the purpose of the report on internal control over compliance is solely to describe the scope of testing of internal control over compliance and the results of that testing based on the requirements of the Uniform Guidance. Both reports will state that the report is not suitable for any other purpose. Our audit will be conducted in accordance with auditing standards generally accepted in the United States of America; the standards for financial audits contained in Government Auditing Standards, issued by the Comptroller General of the United States; the Single Audit Act Amendments of 1996; and the provisions of the Uniform Guidance, and will include tests of accounting records, a determination of major programs) in accordance with the Uniform Guidance, and other procedures we consider necessary to enable us to express such opinions. We will issue written reports upon completion of our Single Audita Our reports will be addressed to City Council and Management of the City of Blair, Nebraska. We cannot provide assurance that unmodified opinions will be expressed. Circumstances may. arise in which it is necessary for us to modify our opinions or add emphasis -of -matter or other -matter paragraphs. If our opinions are other than unmodified, we will discuss the reasons with you in advance. If; for any reason, we are unable to complete the audit or are unable to form or have not formed opinions, we may decline to express opinions or issue reports, or we may withdraw from this engagement. Audit Procedures—General An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements; therefore, our audit will involve judgment about the number of transactions to be examined and the areas to be tested. An audit also includes evaluating the appropriateness of accounting policies used and the reasonableness of significant accounting estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements. We will plan and, perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether from (1) errors, (2) fraudulent financial reporting, (3) misappropriation of assets, or (4) violations of laws or governmental regulations that are attributable to the government or to acts by management or employees acting on behalf of the government. Because the determination of waste and abuse is subjective, Government Auditing Standards do not expect auditors to perform specific procedures to detect waste or abuse in financial audits nor do they expect auditors to provide reasonable assurance of detecting waste or abuse. Because of the inherent limitations of an audit, combined with the inherent limitations of internal control, and because we will not perform a detailed examination of all transactions, an unavoidable risk exists that some material misstatements or noncompliance may exist and not be detected by us, even though the audit is properly planned and performed in accordance with U.S. generally accepted auditing standards and Government Auditing Standards. In addition, an audit is not designed to detect immaterial misstatements or violations of laws or governmental regulations that do not have a direct and material effect on the financial statements or on major programs. However, we will inform the appropriate level of management of any material errors, any fraudulent financial reporting, or misappropriation of assets that come to our attention. We will also inform the appropriate level of management of any violations of laws or governmental regulations that come to our attention, unless clearly inconsequential. We will include such matters in the reports required for a Single Audit. Our responsibility as auditors is limited to the period covered by our audit and does not extend to any later periods for which we are not engaged as auditors. Our procedures will include tests of documentary evidence supporting the transactions recorded in the accounts, and may include direct confirmation of receivables and certain other assets and liabilities by correspondence with selected individuals, funding sources, creditors, and financial institutions. We will request written representations from your attorneys as part of the engagement, and they may bill you for responding to this inquiry. At the conclusion of our audit, we will require certain written representations from you about your responsibilities for the financial statements; schedule of expenditures of federal awards; federal award programs; compliance with laws, regulations, contracts, and grant agreements; and other responsibilities required by generally accepted auditing standards. Audit Procedures—Internal Control Our audit will include obtaining an, understanding of the government and its environment, including internal control, sufficient to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements and to design the nature, timing, and extent of further audit procedures. Tests of controls maybe performed to test the effectiveness of certain controls that we consider relevant to preventing and detecting errors and fraud that are material to the financial statements and to preventing and detecting misstatements resulting from illegal acts and other noncompliance matters that have a direct and material effect on the financial statements. Our tests, if performed, will be less in scope than would be necessary to render an opinion on internal control and, accordingly, no opinion will be expressed in our report on internal control issued pursuant to Government Auditing Standards. As required by the Uniform Guidance, we will perform tests of controls over compliance to evaluate the effectiveness of the design and operation of controls that we consider relevant to preventing or detecting material noncompliance with compliance requirements applicable to each rrrajor federal award program. However, our tests will be less in scope than would be necessary to render an opinion on those controls and, accordingly' no opinion will be expressed in our report on internal control issued pursuant to the Uniform Guidance. An audit is not designed to provide assurance on internal control or to identify significant deficiencies or material weaknesses. Accordingly, we will express no such opinion. However, during the audit, we will communicate to management and those charged with governance internal control related matters that are required to be communicated under AICPA professional standards, Government Auditing Standards, and the Uniform Guidance, Audit Procedures—Compliance As part of obtaining reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, we will perform tests of the City's compliance with provisions of applicable laws, regulations, contracts, and agreements, including grant agreements. However, the objective of those procedures will not be to provide an opinion on overall compliance and we will not express such an opinion in our report on compliance issued pursuant to Government Auditing Standards. The Uniform Guidance requires that we also plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the auditee has complied with federal statutes, regulations, and the terms and conditions of federal awards applicable to major programs. Our procedures will consist of tests of transactions and other applicable procedures described in the OMB Compliance Supplement for the types of compliance requirements that could have a direct and material effect on each of the City's major programs. For federal programs that are included in the Compliance Supplement, our compliance and internal control procedures will relate to the compliance requirements that the Compliance Supplement identifies as being subject to audit. The purpose of these procedures will be to express an opinion on the City's compliance with requirements applicable to each of its major programs in our report on compliance issued pursuant to the Uniform Guidance. Other Services We will also assist in preparing the financial statements and related notes of the City in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles based on information provided by you. These non -audit services do not constitute an audit under Government Auditing Standards and such services will not be conducted in accordance with Government Auditing Standards. We will perforin the services in accordance with applicable professional standards. The other services are limited to the financial statement services previously defined. We, in our sole professional judgment, reserve the right to refuse to perform any procedure or take any action that could be construed as assuming management responsibilities. Management Responsibilities Management is responsible for (1) designing, implementing, establishing, and maintaining effective internal , controls relevant to the preparation and fair presentation, of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, including internal controls over federal awards, and for evaluating and monitoring ongoing activities to help ensure that appropriate goals and objectives are met; (2) following laws and regulations; (3) ensuring that there is reasonable assurance that government programs are administered in compliance with compliance requirements; and (4) ensuring that management and financial information is reliable and properly reported. Management is also responsible for implementing systems designed to achieve compliance with applicable laws, regulations, contracts, and grant agreements. You are also responsible for the selection and application of accounting principles; for the preparation and fair presentation of the financial statements, schedule of expenditures of federal awards, and all accompanying information in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles; and for compliance with applicable laws and regulations (including federal statutes) and the provisions of contracts and grant agreements (including award agreements). Your responsibilities also include identifying significant contractor relationships in which the contractor has responsibility for program compliance and for the accuracy and completeness of that information. Management is also responsible for making all financial records and related information available to us and for the accuracy and completeness of that information. You are also responsible for providing us with (1) access to all information of which you are aware that is relevant to the preparation and fair presentation of the financial statements, including identification of all related parties and all related - party relationships and transactions, (2) access to personnel, accounts, books, records, supporting documentation, and other information as needed to perform an audit under the Uniform Guidance, (3) additional information that we may request for the purpose of the audit, and (4) unrestricted access to persons within the government from whom we determine it necessary to obtain audit evidence. Your responsibilities include adjusting the financial statements to correct material misstatements and confirming to us in the management representation letter that the effects of any uncorrected misstatements aggregated by us during the current engagement and pertaining to the latest period presented are immaterial, both individually and in the aggregate, to the financial statements of each opinion unit as a whole. You ate responsible for the design and implementation of programs and controls to prevent and detect fraud, and for .informing us about .all known or suspected fraud affecting the government involving (1) management; (2), employees who have significant roles in internal control, and (3) others where the fraud could have a material effect on the financial statements. Your responsibilities include informing us of your knowledge of any allegations of fraud or suspected fraud affecting the government received in communications from employees, former employees, grantors, regulators, or others. In addition, you are responsible for identifying and ensuring that the government complies with applicable laws, regulations, contracts, agreements, and grants. Management is also responsible for taking timely and appropriate steps to remedy fraud and noncompliance with provisions of laws, regulations, contracts, and grant agreements that we report. Additionally, as required by the Uniform Guidance, it is management's responsibility to evaluate and monitor noncompliance with federal statutes, regulations, and the terms and conditions of federal awards; take prompt action when instances of noncompliance are identified including noncompliance identified in audit findings; promptly follow up and take corrective action on reported audit findings; and prepare a summary schedule of prior audit findings and a separate corrective action plan. The summary schedule of prior audit findings should be available for our review on January 15, 2022. You are responsible for identifying all federal awards received and understanding and complying with the compliance requirements and for the preparation of the schedule of expenditures of federal awards (including notes and noncash assistance received) in conformity with the Uniform Guidance. You agree to include our report on the schedule of expenditures of federal awards in any document that contains and indicates that we have reported on the schedule of expenditures of federal awards. You also agree to include the audited financial statements with any presentation of the schedule of expenditures of federal awards that includes our report thereon. Your responsibilities include acknowledging to us in the written representation letter that (1) you are responsible for presentation of the schedule of expenditures of federal awards in accordance with the Uniform Guidance; (2) you believe the schedule of expenditures of federal awards, including its form and content, is stated fairly in accordance with the Uniform Guidance; (3) the methods of measurement or presentation have not changed from those used in the prior period (or, if they have changed, the reasons for such changes); and (4) you have disclosed to us any significant assumptions or interpretations underlying the measurement or presentation of the schedule of expenditures of federal awards. You are also responsible for the preparation of the other supplementary information, which we have been engaged to report on, in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles. You agree to include our report on the supplementary information in any document that contains, and indicates that we have reported on, the supplementary information. You also agree to [include the audited financial statements with any presentation of the supplementary information that includes our report thereon. Your responsibilities include acknowledging to us in the written representation letter that (1) you are responsible for presentation of the supplementary information in accordance with GAAP; (2) you believe the supplementary information, including its form and content, is fairly presented in accordance with GAAP; (3) the methods of measurement or presentation have not changed from those used in the prior period (or, if they have changed, the reasons for such changes); and (4) you have disclosed to us any significant assumptions or interpretations underlying the measurement or presentation of the supplementary information. Management is responsible for establishing and maintaining a process for tracking the status of audit findings and recommendations. Management is also responsible .for. identifying and providing report copies of previous financial audits; attestation engagements, performance audits, or other studies related to the�'objectives 'discussed in the Audit Objectives section of this letter. This responsibility includes relaying to us -corrective actions taken to address significant findings and recommendations resulting from those audits, attestation engagements, performance audits; or studies. You are also responsible for providing management's views on our current findings, conclusions, and recommendations, as well as your planned corrective actions, for the report, and for the timing and format for providing that information. You agree to assume all management responsibilities relating to the financial statements, schedule of expenditures of federal awards, and related notes, and any other nonaudit services we provide. You will be required to acknowledge in the management representation letter our assistance with preparation of the financial statements, schedule of expenditures of federal awards, and related notes and that you have reviewed and approved the financial statements, schedule of expenditures of federal awards, and related notes prior to their issuance and have accepted responsibility for them. Further, you agree to oversee the nonaudit services by designating an individual, preferably from senior management, with suitable skill, knowledge, or experience; evaluate the adequacy and results of those services; and accept responsibility for them. Engagement Administration, Fees, and Other The audit documentation for this engagement is the property of Hayes & Associates, L.L.C. and constitutes confidential information. However, pursuant to authority given by law or regulation, we may be requested to make certain audit documentation available to oversight agencies, a federal agency providing direct or indirect funding, or the U.S. Government Accountability Office for purposes of a quality review of the audit, to resolve audit findings, or to carry out oversight responsibilities. We will notify you of any such request. If requested, access to such audit documentation will be provided under the supervision of Hayes & Associates, L.L.C. personnel. Furthermore, upon request, we may provide copies of selected audit docrnnentation to the aforementioned parties. These patties may intend, or decide, to distribute the copies or information contained therein to others, including other governmental agencies. The audit documentation for this engagement will be retained for a minimum of seven years after the report release or for any additional period requested by the oversight agencies, a federal agency providing direct or indirect finding, or the U.S. Government Accountability Office. If we are aware that a federal awarding agency, pass-through entity, or auditee is contesting an audit finding, we will contact the parties contesting the audit finding for guidance prior to destroying the audit documentation. Bryan Broekemier is the engagement partner and is responsible for supervising the engagement and signing the report or authorizing another individual to sign it. Our base fee for our services will be $31,500 for the financial audit and $4,000 for the single audit If more than one major program is required, major programs subsequent to the first will be performed as required for $3,000. If it is later determined a single audit is required, we will discuss this with you prior to the commencement of any additional work being performed. At the time of this letter, it is not anticipated that a single audit will be required. We will perform our audit in accordance with the timelines below. Planning: Week of December January 10, 2022 Fieldwork: Weeks of January 17 and January 24, 2022 Draft: On or before March 11, 2022 Final: On or before March 25; 2022 We will schedule appropriateand adequate staffing to adhere to these timelines based on the assumption that the schedules, workpapers, reconciliations, and other documentation requested in the attached ,Information Request List will be prepared by you and be available for our review no later than dates outline in the Information Request List. Our fees assume that information, schedules, and reports requested will be available in a timely manner and that they will be auditable, e.g., are supported with the appropriate documentation and agree to the financial statements. The fee estimate is based on anticipated cooperation from your personnel and the assumption that unexpected circumstances will not be encountered during the engagement. Additionally, you may request that we perform additional services not addressed in this engagement letter. If additional work is required to meet schedule deadlines, in the event that the information is unavailable from you, in the event that they are not auditable, or we are requested to perform additional services, we will communicate with you regarding the scope of the additional services and the estimated fees. We will not undertake any additional services without obtaining approval through a written change order for such additional work. Fees include out-of-pocket costs, such as telephone, faxes, postage and report binding (10 bound reports, one unbound report, and one electronic pdf file are included in the audit fee, additional reports are billed at $25 per report). Travel costs have been factored into the fee and there will not be a separate charge. It is the firm's policy to bill at the end of the month for work in progress, with a final bill at the delivery of the final audit report. All bills are due on receipt. Finance charges will accrue for all bills that are unpaid more than 30 days after receipt. In accordance with our firm policies, work may be suspended if your account becomes 75 days or more overdue and may not be resumed until your account is paid in full. If we elect to terminate our services for nonpayment, our engagement will be deemed to have been completed upon written notification of termination, even if we have not completed our report(s). You will be obligated to compensate us for all time expended and to reimburse us for all out-of-pocket costs through the date of termination. You have requested that we provide you with a copy of our most recent external peer review report and any subsequent reports received during the contract period. Accordingly, our most recent peer review report is available on the AICPA Peer review web program public file which can be accessed at: llttps://peerreview.aicpa.org/publiefile. We appreciate the opportunity to be of service to you and believe this letter accurately summarizes the significant terms of our engagement. If you have any questions, please let us know. If you agree with the terms of our engagement as described in this letter, please sign the enclosed copy and return it to us. Very truly yours, HAYES & ASSOCIATES, LLC RESPONSE: This letter correctly sets forth thgx�understanding of the City. Management signature: - A Title: A,i, r� Date: ' I I �d 2_ Z Governance signature: N Title: a)A Date: l 4i ZZ