Title
Community Development Finance and Administration, a division of the Chief Administrative Office, recommending the Board approve the relief from accountability for a cash shortage of $72.00.
FUNDING: General Fund.
Body
DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND
Pursuant to Government Code section 29390, the County has historically required departments to request Board approval for relief from accountability in cases of cash shortages.
On August 7,2025, the Chief Administrative Office, Community Development Finance and Administration (CAO-CDFA) staff logged a check for $8,075.25 into the internal check log; however, the check went missing before it was deposited. Upon discovering the check was missing, staff conducted a thorough search of their work areas, the CAO-CDFA safe, and all locations within the Division, but the check could not be located.
The customer was notified of the lost check and subsequently issued a replacement check in the amount of $8,003.25, reflecting a $72 difference. According to the customer, the reduced amount accounts for time spent stopping payment on the original check, processing the replacement, and the bank’s stop-payment fee.
At the time the missing check was discovered, CAO-CDFA had multiple staff receiving and distributing mail and payments. To prevent similar incidents in the future, CAO-CDFA has assigned one staff member responsibility for mail distribution and receipt of checks. The check log has been updated to include more information including the staff that receipt the checks, and deposit number. Additionally, the fiscal supervisor will be monitoring the log and the safe weekly.
ALTERNATIVES
N/A
PRIOR BOARD ACTION
N/A
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT
N/A
CAO RECOMMENDATION / COMMENTS
Approve as recommended.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
The missing check was a payment for time-and-materials billing, which will need to be written off as $72 uncollectible due to the customer’s short payment.
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
N...
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