Valley Central Board of Education Seeks Applications
The Valley Central School District Board of Education invites District resident non-employee applications for two (2) openings on the District’s Audit Committee.
The Committee members collectively should possess the expertise and experience in accounting, auditing, financial reporting and school district finances needed to understand and evaluate the school district’s financial statements, the external audit of those statements and the district’s internal audit activities. Accordingly, the Audit Committee’s members should:
- Possess the requisite skills and experience necessary to understand technical and complex financial
reporting issues. - Have the ability to communicate with, and offer advice and assistance to, public finance officers and auditors.
- Be knowledgeable about internal controls, financial statement audits and management/operational audits.
Candidates may not be related to anyone working for or contracted with the District. Interviews will take place in the evening during the last half of June. Interested candidates should submit the following by 3 p.m. Friday, May 10, 2024: a letter of interest indicating why you want to become a member of the Committee; why you should be selected; and a biographical sketch or resume.
Interested parties may request an information sheet from Brad Conklin, Deputy District Clerk, which broadly outlines the duties and time commitments the Board anticipates for Committee members. Mr. Conklin can be reached at (845) 457-2400, ext. 18122.
Mail or submit the information required to Mr. Brad Conklin, Deputy District Clerk, Valley Central School District, 944 State Route 17K, Montgomery, New York 12549.
Members
Sarah Messing
About the Committee
The Board of Education of the Valley Central School District has established an audit committee (“Audit Committee”) to provide independent assistance to the Board in the oversight of the following matters:
- Assist the Board in providing oversight of the internal and external audit functions, including the appointment of the internal and external auditors.
- Oversee the competitive Request for Proposal Process (RFP) used to solicit quotations for the District’s annual external audit.
- Review the scope, plan, and coordination of the external audit.
- Review corrective action plans and necessary improvement based on audit findings and recommendations received from external and internal auditors.
- Provide a communications link between the external and internal auditors and the Board.
All meetings will take place at 5:30 p.m. in the Administration Building unless otherwise specified.
PRESS RELEASE
A meeting of the District Audit Committee is scheduled to take place on Monday, September 23, 2024, at 5:00 p.m. for the purpose of meeting with the District’s Claims Auditor, the Internal Auditors, and the External Auditors. It is anticipated that the Committee will convene in Executive Session for the review of the External Auditor’s Report.
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Audit Committee Minutes
March 21, 2022
The meeting convened at approximately 5:03 p.m. in the Executive Session Room of the Valley Central School District. John Xanthis, Brad Conklin, William Miller, Marianne Serratore, Jacqueline Calarco, Christopher Mohr and four members of the Audit Committee, Kelly Ann Kelly, Joseph Bond, Sarah Messing (in Angela Terralavoro’s absence) and Katie McKnight were in attendance. Also in attendance, via Zoom, were Carl Cadregari from Fox Pointe Solutions (Internal Auditor) and Timothy Doyle from The Bonadio Group (External Auditors). Committee members John Revella, Thomas Jones and Angela Terralavora were absent.
The Committee reviewed the minutes from the prior meeting (September 27, 2021). It was the consensus of the Committee that the minutes be approved.
Katie McKnight moved that the Committee enter Executive Session to meet with the District’s Auditors at approximately 5:06 p.m. Joseph Bond seconded the motion. The motion was approved unanimously 4-0-0.
Carl Cadregari from Fox Pointe Solutions joined the Committee via Zoom to review the findings of the Internal Audit with the Committee.
Timothy Doyle from The Bonadio Group joined the Committee via Zoom to present a PowerPoint outlining the process for the upcoming 2021-2022 External Audit.
Katie McKnight moved to exit Executive Session and adjourn the meeting. Sarah Messing seconded. The motion was approved 4-0-0 and the meeting was adjourned at approximately 5:30 p.m.
September 27, 2021
The meeting convened at approximately 5:30 p.m. in the Executive Session Room of the Valley Central School District. Brad Conklin, William Miller, Jacqueline Calarco and five members of the Audit Committee, Kelly Ann Kelly, Thomas Jones, Joseph Bond, Sarah Messing and Katie McKnight were in attendance. Also in attendance, via Zoom, was Alan Walther from The Bonadio Group (External Auditors). Committee member John Revella was absent.
The Committee reviewed the minutes from the prior meeting (March 15, 2021). Kelly Ann Kelly moved that the minutes be approved. Sarah Messing seconded the motion.
The minutes were approved unanimously 5-0-0.
Sarah Messing moved that the Committee enter Executive Session at approximately 5:31 p.m. Katie McKnight seconded the motion. The motion was approved unanimously 5-0-0.
Alan Walther from The Bonadio Group reviewed the findings of the External Audit with the Committee. Katie McKnight moved, Thomas Jones seconded that the External Audit be accepted and recommended for Board approval.
The motion was approved unanimously 5-0-0.
Sarah Messing moved that the Committee enter Executive Session at approximately 5:59 p.m. Katie McKnight seconded the motion. The motion was approved unanimously 5-0-0.
Kelly Ann Kelly moved to adjourn and Katie McKnight seconded. The motion was approved 5-0-0 and the meeting was adjourned at approximately 6 p.m.
March 15, 2021
In accordance with Governor Cuomo’s March 12th Executive Order No. 202.1, which temporarily suspended those sections of the Open Meetings Law requiring in-person access to public meetings, the meeting was closed to the public and held via teleconference. The meeting was convened at approximately 6:01 p.m. Brad Conklin, Marianne Serratore, Jacqueline Calarco, and six members of the Audit Committee: Peter Sullivan, Thomas Jones, Kelly Ann Kelly, Joseph Bond, Sarah Messing and Katie McKnight were in attendance. Also in attendance was Bill Trainor and Jennifer Traverse
from Nugent & Haeussler (Internal Auditors) and Alan Walther from The Bonadio Group (External Auditors). Committee member John Revella was absent.
The Committee reviewed the minutes from the prior meeting (November 9, 2021). Katie McKnight moved, Peter Sullivan seconded that the Committee approve the November 9, 2021 minutes. The motion was approved 6-0-0.
The Committee reviewed the Internal Audit and Risk Assessment Reports for the 2020-2021 school year, as well as the District’s Response, with the District’s Internal Auditors,Nugent & Haeussler. Bill Trainor and Jen Traverse left the meeting at approximately 6:23 p.m.
Alan Walther, the District’s External Auditor, joined the Audit Committee at approximately 6:29 p.m. to begin planning for this year’s External Audit.
Kelly Ann Kelly moved to adjourn and Thomas Jones seconded. The motion was approved 6-0-0 and the meeting was adjourned at approximately 6:50 p.m.
November 9, 2020
In accordance with Governor Cuomo’s March 12th Executive Order No. 202.1, which temporarily suspended those sections of the Open Meetings Law requiring in-person access to public meetings, the meeting was closed to the public and held via teleconference. The meeting was convened at approximately 5:33 p.m. John Xanthis, Brad Conklin, Marianne Serratore, William Miller, Jacqueline Calarco and five members of the Audit Committee: Peter Sullivan, Thomas Jones, Joseph Bond, Sarah Messing and Katie McKnight were in attendance. Also in attendance was Bill Trainor from Nugent & Haeussler (Internal Auditors). Committee members Kelly Ann Kelly and John Revella were absent.
The Committee reviewed the minutes from the prior meeting (October 13, 2020). The minutes were approved unanimously 5-0-0.
The Committee then took up the focus of the Internal Audit for the 2020-2021 school year. Bill Trainor reviewed a few areas that have been a focus in recent years. Peter Sullivan moved, Katie McKnight seconded that the focus of the 2020-2021 Internal Audit be on payroll. The motion was approved unanimously 5-0-0. Katie McKnight moved to adjourn and Sarah Messing seconded. The motion was approved 5-0-0 and the meeting was adjourned at approximately 5:55 p.m.
October 13, 2020
In accordance with Governor Cuomo’s March 12th Executive Order No. 202.1, which temporarily suspended those sections of the Open Meetings Law requiring in-person access to public meetings, the meeting was closed to the public and held via teleconference. The meeting was convened at approximately 5:32 p.m. John Xanthis, Brad Conklin, Marianne Serratore, Jacqueline Calarco and five members of the Audit Committee: Kelly Ann Kelly, Thomas Jones, Peter Sullivan, Joseph Bond and Katie McKnight were in attendance. Also in attendance was Alan Walther from The Bonadio
Group (External Auditors). Committee member John Revella was absent.
The Committee reviewed the minutes from the prior meeting (September 14, 2020). The minutes were approved unanimously 5-0-0.
Upon unanimous consent, the Committee entered into Executive Session to review the 2019-2020 External Audit.
Alan Walther from The Bonadio Group reviewed the relevant information from the audit and the management letter. Katie McKnight moved, Thomas Jones seconded that the External Audit be accepted and recommended for Board approval. The motion was approved unanimously 5-0-0.
Upon unanimous consent, the Committee came out of Executive Session.
Katie McKnight moved to adjourn and Peter Sullivan seconded. The motion was approved 5-0-0 and the meeting was adjourned at approximately 6:07 p.m.
September 14, 2020
In accordance with Governor Cuomo’s March 12th Executive Order No. 202.1, which temporarily suspended those sections of the Open Meetings Law requiring in-person access to public meetings, the meeting was closed to the public and held via teleconference. The meeting was convened at approximately 5:35 p.m. John Xanthis, Brad Conklin, Marianne Serratore, Jacqueline Calarco and five members of the Audit Committee: Kelly Ann Kelly, Thomas Jones, Peter Sullivan, Joseph Bond and Katie McKnight were in attendance. Also in attendance was Jennifer Traverse from Nugent & Haeussler P.C. (Internal Auditors). Committee members John Revella and Art Fitzgerald were absent.
The Committee reviewed the minutes from the prior meeting (December 12, 2019). The minutes were approved unanimously 5-0-0.
Upon unanimous consent, the Committee entered into Executive Session to review the 2019-2020 Internal Audit.
Jennifer Traverse from Nugent & Haeussler reviewed the relevant information from the audit and the comments in the District’s response with the Committee. Katie McKnight moved, Thomas Jones seconded that the Internal Audit be accepted and recommended for Board approval. The motion was approved unanimously 5-0-0.
Upon unanimous consent, the Committee came out of Executive Session.
Katie McKnight moved to adjourn and Peter Sullivan seconded. The motion was approved 5-0-0 and the meeting was adjourned at approximately 6 p.m.
December 9, 2019
The meeting convened at approximately 5 p.m. in Board Room of the Valley Central School District. John Xanthis, Michael Bellarosa, Marianne Serratore, Brad Conklin, and three members of the Audit Committee, Peter Sullivan, Sarah Messing and Art Fitzgerald were in attendance. Also present were Mark Levy and Bill Trainor from Nugent & Haeussler, the District’s Internal Auditors.
The Committee reviewed the minutes from the October 7, 2019 and October 28, 2019 Committee meetings and the Claims Auditor Reports.
The Committee then took up the focus of the Internal Audit for the 2019-2020 school year. Mark Levy and Bill Trainor shared a few areas that have been a focus for the Comptroller in recent findings and discussed the District’s previous Internal Audit report. It was the consensus of the members of the committee in attendance to focus the upcoming Internal Audit on procurement, including a review of the focus from last year – transportation administration and calculations.
There was not a quorum of the Audit Committee present, and therefore, no action took place.
The meeting was adjourned at approximately 5:30 p.m.