Post by Okwes on Mar 22, 2007 14:36:31 GMT -5
Auditors: Interior should set schedule for trust systems rollout
By _Wilson P. Dizard III_
(http://www.gcn.com/cgi-bin/udt/im.author.contact.view?client.id=gcn_daily&story.id=42907) , GCN Staff
The Interior Department should adopt a firm timetable for system upgrades
that support congressionally mandated reforms of the trust funds it manages on
behalf of American Indians, according to a Government Accountability Office
report released today.
Interior�s Office of the Special Trustee, established by the American Indian
Trust Fund Reform Act of 1994, has been developing a new trust fund
accounting system. Much of the systems development work will be complete by November,
according to GAO.
Together with the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the special trustee�s office now
is validating the data that stands behind American Indian land title records
and leases that generate income for trust beneficiaries.
However, auditors reported that the trustee office "estimates that data
verification for leasing activities will not be completed until December 2009."
Only after the data is verified can the trustee office move ahead to launch "
trust fund operations, trust records management and appraisal services." GAO
said.
The law requires that when the special trustee office completes its work, it
must be dissolved within 180 days.
GAO recommended that Interior provide Congress with a firm timetable for
completing the accounting system upgrade and develop a work force plan for staff
levels and funding needs after the system is built.
Interior provided written comments on the GAO report that agreed with the
recommendations.
The special trustee office manages about $2.9 billion in assets on behalf of
some 250 tribes and "tribal entities," GAO said, as well as overseeing $400
million in individual American Indian trust accounts. Between 1997 and 2006,
the trustee office staff increased from about 245 to 590 employees, and
total funding grew from $34.1 million to $222.8 million, the report said.
By _Wilson P. Dizard III_
(http://www.gcn.com/cgi-bin/udt/im.author.contact.view?client.id=gcn_daily&story.id=42907) , GCN Staff
The Interior Department should adopt a firm timetable for system upgrades
that support congressionally mandated reforms of the trust funds it manages on
behalf of American Indians, according to a Government Accountability Office
report released today.
Interior�s Office of the Special Trustee, established by the American Indian
Trust Fund Reform Act of 1994, has been developing a new trust fund
accounting system. Much of the systems development work will be complete by November,
according to GAO.
Together with the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the special trustee�s office now
is validating the data that stands behind American Indian land title records
and leases that generate income for trust beneficiaries.
However, auditors reported that the trustee office "estimates that data
verification for leasing activities will not be completed until December 2009."
Only after the data is verified can the trustee office move ahead to launch "
trust fund operations, trust records management and appraisal services." GAO
said.
The law requires that when the special trustee office completes its work, it
must be dissolved within 180 days.
GAO recommended that Interior provide Congress with a firm timetable for
completing the accounting system upgrade and develop a work force plan for staff
levels and funding needs after the system is built.
Interior provided written comments on the GAO report that agreed with the
recommendations.
The special trustee office manages about $2.9 billion in assets on behalf of
some 250 tribes and "tribal entities," GAO said, as well as overseeing $400
million in individual American Indian trust accounts. Between 1997 and 2006,
the trustee office staff increased from about 245 to 590 employees, and
total funding grew from $34.1 million to $222.8 million, the report said.