Governance

City of El Mirage — Regular Meeting (2021-12-07)

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October 14, 2021 
 
To the Honorable Mayor and  
Members of the City Council 
El Mirage, Arizona  
 
We have audited the financial statements of the governmental activities, the business-type activities, each 
major fund, and the aggregate remaining fund information of the City of El Mirage, Arizona (the City) for 
the year ended June 30, 2021. 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 engagement letter to you dated January 15, 2021. Professional standards also 
require that we communicate to you the following information related to our audit. 
Significant Audit Findings 
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. No new 
accounting policies were adopted and the application of existing policies was not changed during fiscal 
year 2021. 
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. 
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 City’s financial statements 
were: 
Management’s estimate of depreciation expense is based on the useful lives of the 
underlying assets. We evaluated the key factors and assumptions used to develop the 
depreciation lives in determining that it is reasonable in relation to the financial 
statements taken as a whole. 
Management’s estimate of accrued compensated absences is based on pay rates at year-
end and the number of accrued hours for eligible employees. We evaluated the key factors 
and assumptions used to develop the compensated absences accrual to determine that it is 
reasonable in relation to the financial statements taken as a whole.

For purposes of measuring the net pension/OPEB liability, deferred outflows of resources 
and deferred inflows of resources related to pensions/OPEB, and pension/OPEB expense, 
management’s estimates have been determined on the same basis as they are reported by 
the Arizona State Retirement System (ASRS) and the Public Safety Personnel Retirement 
System (PSPRS). The City’s net pension/OPEB liability was measured as of June 30, 
2020, and the total pension/OPEB liability used to calculate the net pension/OPEB 
liability for ASRS was determined using update procedures to roll forward the total 
pension/OPEB liability from an actuarial valuation as of June 30, 2019, to the 
measurement date of June 30, 2020 and for PSPRS was determined using an actuarial 
valuation as of June 30, 2020. The key factors and assumptions used to develop the 
valuation and the accrual appear reasonable in relation to the financial statements taken as 
a whole. 
The financial statement disclosures are neutral, consistent, and clear. 
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. 
Management has corrected all such misstatements. 
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. 
Management Representations 
We have requested certain representations from management that are included in the management 
representation letter dated October 14, 2021. 
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 governmental unit’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 governmental unit’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 management’s discussion and analysis and other required 
supplementary (RSI) information as listed in the table of contents 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 as listed in the table of contents, which 
accompanies 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 statistical section, as listed in the table of 
contents, which accompanies 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 assurance on it. 
Restriction on Use 
This information is intended solely for the use of the Mayor, City Council, and management of the City 
and is not intended to be and should not be used by anyone other than these specified parties. 
 
Very truly yours, 
 
HintonBurdick, PLLC