City of Mount Vernon – Audit Follow-Up (2020M-96-F)

Issued Date
December 24, 2025

[read complete report – pdf] [read complete 2020 report – pdf]

Purpose of Review

The purpose of our review was to assess the City of Mount Vernon’s (City) progress, as of July/August 2025, in implementing our recommendations in the audit report City of Mount Vernon – Financial Reporting and Oversight (2020M-96), released in September 2020.

The audit determined that:

  • The City Council  (Council) and officials did not have adequate financial information for the effective management of operations and, as a result, the City lost its credit rating.
  • The City Comptroller (Comptroller) failed to file the required annual financial report (AFR)1 with our office for fiscal years 2016 through 2019.
  • The Council did not take sufficient action to acquire financial information.
  • No audited financial statements have been issued since the 2015 fiscal year because City officials have not provided their independent auditors with the necessary financial information.
  • City officials did not have financial information available to develop a multiyear or capital plan.
  • City officials did not establish policies and procedures to ensure that critical financial information, such as budget-to-actual reports or cash flow reports, is received.

The audit included 11 recommendations to help the Board improve its oversight of the District’s financial activities.

Background

The City is the eighth largest city in New York State and is located in Westchester County. The City is governed by a charter and State and local laws. The elected five-member Council is the legislative body responsible for setting the City’s governing policies. The Mayor serves as the City’s chief executive officer and is responsible, along with other administrative staff, for the City’s day-to-day administration. The elected Comptroller is the chief fiscal officer and is responsible for managing the City’s fiscal affairs pursuant to law, the City Charter and Council ordinances. The Board of Estimate and Contract, consisting of the Mayor, Comptroller and Council President, is responsible for reviewing and approving the City’s annual budget prior to submission to the Council for adoption.

Results of Review

Based on our limited procedures, the City has implemented three recommendations, partially implemented four recommendations and not implemented four recommendations.

 

1 During our audit, and at the time of the audit report’s release, the AFR was known as the Annual Update Document, or AUD. The AUD became known as the AFR in 2023. Our follow up review uses AFR accordingly.