There is still time to register for the 2008 School of Governmental Finance! Don't miss this educational and networking opportunity.
President's Message
Linda Davidson, City of Boca Raton, FGFOA President
Finance officers are being challenged by the volatile financial market conditions and fiscal crisis which continues to impact our Florida state and local economies, our pension plans and our personal finances. The Federal Government proposed and approved a Financial Rescue Plan in an unprecedented move and the Treasury Department has announced it will insure deposits in regulated money market accounts. In these tumultuous times we need to provide the leadership to guide our local governments with a stable and long-term approach to local government finances and organizational change.
Expense Considerations under GASB 45
Tom Lowman, Chief Actuary, Bolton Partners, Inc.
The expense for retiree health care benefits under GASB45 depends in part on the “discount” rate assumption. The discount rate depends on whether or not the plan is prefunded. If the employer continues on a pay-as-you-go approach, the discount rate is usually around 4%. If the employer funds the full expense (ARC), the discount rate used is often around 7% to 8%...
Special Districts and Financial Reporting
Jack Gaskins Jr., Florida Department of Community Affairs, Division of Housing and Community Development
One of the benefits of having special districts properly registered with the state is that local and state agencies will know they exist. This helps avoid a number of potential problems – from diminished special district accountability and ambiguous financial reporting to lost technical assistance opportunities and inefficient intergovernmental coordination...
Going Green
More that 400 mayors representing 61 million Americans in 50 states have signed the U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement to reduce global warming carbon dioxide (CO2) pollution in their cities to seven percent below 1990 levels by 2012. Membership is free to join the U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement to reduce global warming pollution and includes taking action as a Cool City to green city vehicle fleets with hybrid and other cleaner cars, modernize city buildings with money-saving energy-efficiency technology and invest in clean and safe renewable energy...
Catherine Edwards, President of the Hillsborough Chapter
Catherine Edwards has the distinct honor of being the second president of the Hillsborough Chapter of the FGFOA. Catherine is also serving as co-host for the Conference Committee this year as the conference will be held in Tampa, May 29-June 3, 2009...
Certification Committee
Karen Simpson, City of Palmetto, Chair
The Certification Committee is working hard to once again, provide the quality review classes needed to prepare for the CGFO exam. These review classes will be provided at the School of Governmental Finance November 18 - 20, with the testing on Friday, November 21. I would like to thank the instructors for the fall sessions for their time, effort and commitment in teaching these review classes. The instructors include: Bill Rotella, Charles Holland, John McKinney, Donna Wright, and Mary-Lou Pickles. I would encourage everyone who has not achieved the CGFO certification, to visit http://www.f
Conference Host Committee
Bonnie Wise, City of Tampa & Catherine Edwards, Hillsborough County – CCC Co-Chairs
The 2009 Conference Host Committee has been busy digging up events that you will come to treasure at a gem of an event next year. The Host Committee is meeting Friday, September 19, at the Marriott in downtown Tampa with Linda Davidson and members from the Florida League of Cities to map out and peg down some plans. If any of you mateys have a taste for adventure, this will be an all hands event, and you won’t want to miss the boat...
Conference Program Committee
Mary-Lou Pickles, St. Johns River Water Management District, Chair
As of this writing, the Annual Conference is eight months away, and committee members are busy finalizing topics covering a large variety of relevant subjects given the challenges we are all facing in today’s environment. For example, under the Economics, Pensions, Personnel and Risk Management track, we are planning to offer sessions dealing with keeping insurance and labor costs down, motivating employees, downsizing and service prioritization. We are excited to announce the Board approved a leadership and succession-planning focus for the pre-conference, which will include an optional Lead
Legislative Committee
Kim Adams, City of Largo, Communications Subcommittee Chair
There's lots of good news to report, so let's get started! First, the Florida Legislature is still not in session. This is really good news for all local governments!
Also, as you've likely heard, Amendment 5 was pulled from the November ballot by the Supreme Court. It's good to see some common sense still exists in Tallahassee. This incredibly ill conceived legislation would have generated more problems for Florida's 20th Century tax system (maybe even a 19th Century system)...
Legislative Committee (part two)
Kim Adams, City of Largo, Communications Subcommittee Chair
While no one opposes transparency in government, except the State which exempts itself from the Sunshine Law, last year's Transparency legislation would have been costly and would have produced questionable benefits, at best. To be fair, the State did subject itself to the Transparency legislation's requirements, which is contrary to their, “Do as I say, not as I do.” philosophy. The Committee is developing a Transparency policy that suggests a rational cost/benefit relationship be maintained.
Member Services Committee
Gary Perdew, St. Lucie County Fire District, Chair
For most of us it is a new budget year. Now is a great time to look over your contracts for banking services, financial advisor, bond counsel or any other consulting contract to determine whether they will expire within the next year. If you discover one or more will soon reach the termination date, do not fret. You have a valuable resource at your disposal that will make the task of issuing a new Request for Proposal much easier. Go to the FGFOA website, place the cursor over ‘RESOURCES’, and select ‘Sample Documents’ from the drop down menu. Scroll down the page until you see RFP Samples th
2008 School of Governmental Finance Committee
Carol Himes Hannigan, City of Boca Raton, Chair
The sessions are chosen, the speakers lined up. The 2008 School of Governmental Finance is ready to go! The only thing missing is you.
The Hilton St. Pete Bayfront in St. Petersburg, Fla., is the place and November 17– 21 is the time. Don’t miss out! Take advantage of the networking opportunities as well as the great training sessions. And, of course, don’t forget to stop by the hospitality suite.
The announcement should have arrived in your e-mail around September 19th so if you haven’t seen it, take a look in you Inbox. Information also is available on the FGFOA website at www.fgf
Small Government Committee
Terry Sharp, City of Lighthouse Point, Chair
The Committee is proceeding with its tasks for the year. The Outreach Subcommittee will be contacting local chapters to assist with contacts to small governments. Our hope is to get the word out about the benefits of FGFOA and the resources available to small government finance officers. The Resource Manual Subcommittee is working to prepare new sections of the Manual. Anyone who has suggestions on which sections would be most helpful should contact the Committee Chair. Likewise, the Conference Committee is brainstorming topics for next year’s annual conference and would welcome suggestio
Technical Resources Committee
Marilyn Rosetti, Florida Auditor General, Chair
The Technical Resources Committee’s primary purpose is to serve as a technical resource to the FGFOA membership. The Committee is responsible for responding to discussion memoranda and/or exposure drafts issued by the Government Accounting Standards Board (GASB) and other standards or rulemaking bodies concerning governmental finance; submitting technical articles for the FGFOA newsletter; providing technical assistance to the membership on new and/or changes to State or Federal laws and regulations, or governmental accounting standards; and monitoring the list serves on the FGFOA Web site...
Central Florida Chapter
John Dufresne, City of Apopka, President
The Central Florida Chapter is made up of approximately 220 active and 25 associate members. Luncheon meetings are held on a quarterly basis, the next being October 9th. Our speaker will be Lisa Parker of the Governmental Accounting Standards Board discussing the new SEA Guidelines...
Gulf Coast Chapter
Mary E. Karayianes, Town of Indian Shores, President
I would like to introduce myself as the President of the Gulf Coast Chapter. I have been an active member of our local Chapter as well as the State Chapter since moving to Florida in 1995. I have been on the Conference Program Committee for four years with one year as its Chairman in 1999. I have also been a member of the Membership and Publications Committee along with two years on the Conference Host Committee as Volunteer Chairperson. I’ve been on the Board of Directors for the Gulf Coast Chapter since 2003 holding the positions of Treasurer, Secretary, President-elect and now as President.
Florida First Coast
Cynthia Gardner, Duval County-CCC, President
The Florida First Coast Chapter is pleased to announce that the second quarterly meeting will be held on Thursday December 4, 2008 in Jacksonville, FL at Maggiano’s Little Italy restaurant at the St. Johns Town Center...
Hillsborough Chapter
Catherine Edwards, Hillsborough County - CCC, President
Hillsborough Chapter’s next membership meeting and training session will be held on Friday, November 14, 2008, at the County Center, 26th Floor, Conference Room A/B, 601 E. Kennedy Blvd., Tampa. A luncheon is being planned to kick off the holiday season. Lunch activitites will start at 12:30. At 2:00 p.m., Christina Swanson, Division Director of Human Resources, Hillsborough County BOCC, will talk about “Risk Management, Insurance Liability and Claims.” From 3:00-4:00 p.m., Federated Investors will give the Chapter an update on the status of the SBA...
Nature Coast Chapter
Cathy Taylor, Citrus County - BCC, President
The Nature Coast Chapter has been successful in providing opportunities to earn quality economical CPE credits using interesting and informed speakers. The Chapter covers a five county area including Citrus, Hernando, Levy, Marion and Sumter counties. Quarterly meetings are held in July, October, January and April on the third Wednesday of the month. The meetings begin at noon with lunch being served, followed by the CPE portion of the meeting from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. Our location at Citrus Hills Golf & Country Club in Citrus County provides a great meeting room and quality food at a reasona
Palm Beach Chapter
Cheryl Somers, Town of Palm Beach, President
The Palm Beach Chapter held its bi-monthly business meeting on Thursday, August 28th, at 11:30 a.m. at the Palm Beach Airport Hilton. Mark Veil, CPA, Caler, Donten, Levine, Druker, Porter, & Veil, P.A. was the guest speaker. Mr. Veil’s presentation addressed implementing the “New Audit Risk Assessment Standards.” A very informative audit survey of Palm Beach County entities was compiled and distributed by the Village of Wellington staff...
Panhandle Chapter
David Skarzynski, Okaloosa County-CCC, President
The Panhandle Chapter has sent out renewal notices to members for the coming year with dues payable by October 1, 2008. The Chapter now has 118 paid members. The Chapter’s bylaws are currently being reviewed. Revisions will be available to members at the October 17, 2008 meeting with the vote to approve the changes occurring at the January 16, 2009 meeting...
South Florida Chapter
Doreen Lam, City of Hollywood, President
The South Florida Chapter sponsored a half-day seminar - - “2008 Forum on Local Government Revenues” - - on August 28, 2008 that offered 4 CPE credits. Eighty registered attendees came out to hear the latest information on intergovernmental and state distributed revenues, as well as ad valorem taxes and locally collected revenues. Attendees were able to ask the speakers questions in an open forum format. We thank the speakers for their excellent presentations - - Rip Colvin, Executive Director of the Florida Legislative Committee on Intergovernmental Relations; Bob McKee, Deputy Executive Dir
Southwest Florida Chapter
Linda Senne, Cape Coral, President
At the September meeting, the Southwest Florida Chapter learned how to Eliminate Waste by focusing on processes to achieve desired outcomes in the most efficient and effective manner. We learned the concepts involving: “Kaizen events” through “Spaghetti Charts” and “Takt” times. We also discovered how new auditing standards will change our audit...
Space Coast Chapter
Michele Ennis, City of Melbourne, President
The next quarterly seminar is scheduled for Friday, October 10, 2008 at the Viera Government Center, Building C, 'Space Coast' Room. The session begins at 12:00 with lunch, followed by a business meeting and four hours of CPE. This session will be offered for $15 to members and $25 to non-members. Speakers and topics include Amy Michaliszyn of Federated Investors discussing the Florida Local Government Investment Pool; Julie Santamaria, RBC Dain Rauscher, with an update on the municipal bond environment; Chad Little, Freiman Little Actuaries, with proposed changed to Rule 60T for pension fund
Treasure Coast Chapter
Carl Trabulsy, St. Lucie County Fire District, President
Not too much has happened since our July 25, 2008 meeting. I have been in contact with Federated who are still scheduled to present at the October 17th meeting. I have not received anything from them letting me know who will be speaking and what the outline will consist of. Hopefully, it will be soon. The meeting will take place at the Spring Hill Suites in St. Lucie West beginning at 12:00 p.m. on October 17th...