Orange County Auditor-Controller release an audit of Vintage Marina Partners this week as part of our ongoing reviews of the County’s revenue generating leases.

Orange County Auditor-Controller Eric H. Woolery, CPA, released an audit of the Revenue Generating Operating Agreement between OC Community Resources/OC Parks and Vintage Marina Partners, LP. on March 3, 2017. This audit covered the period from April 1, 2015 through March 31, 2016 and revealed 14 findings.

“As promised, our Internal Audit Division completed their audit of the Vintage Marina Partners Agreement,” said Auditor-Controller Eric Woolery. “While there were several significant control weaknesses, we are confident that OC Community Resources will work with Vintage Marina Partners to correct any weaknesses going forward.”

The primary objective of the audit was to determine whether Vintage Marina’s records adequately supported their monthly gross receipts reported to the County and that these receipts were properly remitted to the County. The secondary objective was to determine whether Vintage Marina’s records adequately supported their monthly operating expenses (which are reimbursed by the County) and that the Vintage Marina’s management’s fee was properly calculated.  The third objective was to determine whether Vintage Marina complied with certain financial and other provisions of the Agreement with the County, such as annual financial statement requirements.

The report included three significant control weaknesses as follows:

  • Lack of oversight and management of Vintage Marina.
  • Tenant’s gross receipts need to be validated and reconciled.
  • Tenant’s rent payments are not calculated or reported in accordance with Lease Agreements.

The report also included 11 control findings.  Control findings are less significant and included:

  • Required personal property inventories are not performed.
  • Dry boat storage security deposits are not reconciled.
  • Audited financial statements were not submitted timely.
  • Internal controls over the approval and monitoring of the annual operating budget should be strengthened.
  • Parent company administrative fees were not authorized in the Agreement.
  • Collection of cash receipts should be performed, logged, and counted by two employees.
  • No written policies and procedures for the procurement of goods and services.
  • Serially pre-numbered receipts should be used for dry storage.
  • Cash register point-of-sale systems are not used by tenants.
  • A Receipt was not provided to a customer as required.
  • Lease Agreements need to be properly executed.

The County and Vintage Marina entered into a 20-year operating agreement on February 6, 2001 to manage certain facilities and services located in the Dana Point Harbor. During the 12- month audit period, Vintage Marina reported approximately $42.1 million in gross receipts and remitted approximately $6 million in rent to the County. Vintage Marina was reimbursed  $2.2 million of operating expenses and was paid a management fee of $1.3 million.

The Auditor-Controller’s office of Orange County typically releases anywhere from one to five audits per month. With over 400 employees, the Orange County Auditor-Controller’s office is the largest independently elected Auditor-Controller in the nation.