Relating to sport fishing regulations on inland and boundary waters and fish refuges on inland waters.
Submitted by Department of Natural Resources.
Report received from Agency, May 30, 2000.
To committee on Natural Resources
.
Referred on June 6, 2000
.
Relating to grants for students.
Submitted by Wisconsin Technical College System Board.
Report received from Agency, May 26, 2000.
To committee on Colleges and Universities
.
Referred on June 6, 2000
.
Relating to the demerit point system and graduated driver license restriction extensions.
Submitted by Department of Transportation.
Report received from Agency, May 30, 2000.
To committee on Transportation.
Referred on June 6, 2000
.
Relating to the distribution of arts challenge initiative incentive grant funds.
Submitted by Wisconsin Arts Board.
Report received from Agency, May 26, 2000.
To committee on Tourism and Recreation
.
Referred on June 6, 2000
.
__________________
Communications
May 30, 2000
Charles R. Sanders
Assembly Chief Clerk
1 East Main Street, Room 402
Madison, Wisconsin 53702
Dear Mr. Sanders:
Through a partnership with the Department of Public Instruction, the 12 cooperative educational service agencies (CESAs) have, for over ten years, provided quality support services to school districts and school-community partnerships in preventing alcohol and other drug abuse (AODA) and related youth risk behaviors. This partnership, the Wisconsin Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drug Education Network, was formed as a strong component of DPI's overall strategy to prevent substance abuse.
As part of our responsibility to evaluate department-administered grant programs, DPI recently undertook a survey of users of the support services to determine:
A970
* the extent to which these services are used by school districts and school-community partnerships,
* the level of satisfaction among school district coordinators and school-community partnership council chairs with those services, and
* the need for additional or substitute services.
Through telephone interviews developed, administered, and analyzed by the UW Extension Survey Research Laboratory, DPI and CESAs were provided with summary results that demonstrate the value of the services and also point to the need for development and fine-tuning. Enclosed is an executive summary of those results.
If you have questions or comments regarding the report, please contact Douglas White, Team Leader, Student Services/Prevention and Wellness Team, at 608-266-5198 or
douglas.white@dpi.state.wi.us.
Sincerely,
John T. Benson
State Superintendent
__________________
Referral of Agency Reports
State of Wisconsin
Department of Natural Resources
Madison
June 1, 2000
To the Honorable, the Legislature:
As directed by s.
29.889(11), Stats., the Department of Natural Resources has prepared a report to the Legislature regarding the Wildlife Damage Abatement and Claims Program for the 1999 program year, ending December 31, 1999. Said statute directs distribution to "appropriate standing committees" of the legislature in the manner provided under s.
13.172(3), Stats. In compliance with these requirements, and because the both of you are more apt to determine "appropriate standing committees", I am submitting this report to you, the Chief Clerk's of the Senate and Assembly, for distribution.
Thank you for your assistance.
Sincerely,
George E. Meyer
Secretary
Referred to committee on Natural Resources.
__________________
Agency Reports
State of Wisconsin
Legislative Audit Bureau
Madison
June 5, 2000
To the Honorable, the Legislature:
We have completed our financial and compliance audit of the State of Wisconsin, as requested by state agencies to meet the audit requirements of the federal Single Audit Act of 1984, as amended, and the provisions of federal Office of Management and Budget Circular A-133. Our audit covered the period July 1, 1998 through June 30, 1999. In addition to satisfying federal audit requirements, the audit assists us in meeting state audit requirements under s.
13.94, Wis. Stats.
The audit procedures performed at the larger state agencies that administer federal financial assistance programs, including the University of Wisconsin System, consisted of gaining an understanding of the internal controls at the agencies, assessing the propriety of revenues and expenditures, and testing compliance with laws and regulations related to the administration of federal grant programs. For the smaller agencies and selected University of Wisconsin campuses, our audit procedures were limited to verifying information included in the federally required Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Awards and following up on prior-year audit findings. Our review focused on the 30 federal grants that either exceeded the $15.3 million threshold used to define major grants or were below this threshold but were selected for review based on the risk-based assessment criteria established by the federal government.
The first section of our report contains the auditor's reports on compliance and internal control. Next are the agency narratives that contain our comments on internal control deficiencies related to the administration of federal grants, findings of noncompliance for each agency, and the results of our follow-up to prior audit findings. A summary schedule of findings and questioned costs for the current year's audit is also provided, as well as a summary of the status of findings included in our prior audit report for the State of Wisconsin (report 99-12). We note that, overall, state agencies have complied with federal grant requirements and have taken steps to address findings included in the prior year's single audit report. However, we do report internal control deficiencies and several areas of noncompliance, and we identify $688,051 in questioned costs. This amount represents a small portion of the $5.7 billion in federal financial assistance to the State of Wisconsin.
Also included in this report is the Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Awards for the audited period, and related notes. Our audit opinion on the schedule is unqualified. The federal government will resolve the findings and questioned costs included in our report. Federal agencies are expected to contact state agencies regarding resolution. To assist federal officials in their efforts, state agency contact information is provided in appendices to this report.
In addition to the comments and recommendations included in our report, management letters will be issued to the larger state agencies addressing technical accounting and internal control issues, including those relating to the preparation of the State's financial statements.
We appreciate the courtesy and cooperation extended to us by agency staff during our audit. Agencies' comments on individual findings, along with their corrective action plans to address our concerns, are included within the agency narratives.
Respectfully submitted,
Janice Mueller
State Auditor
