INCLUDES:

1.  Association of Public Treasurers 41 Annual Conference 7/22-26
2.  IMTA Annual Conference   Fairview Heights, IL 6/25-27
     Silent Auction
     Treasurer’s Institute 11/12-16 at Holiday Inn
     IMTA Board Position application forms due by June 2nd
3.  DROP Legislation update
4.  Utility Late Penalties
5.  IRS Regulations- Employer Provided Vehicle
6.  Mandatory Trash Pick-up Ordinance
7.  Computer Server Cost Comparison 1991 & 2006
Response: Budget Deficit
Response: Cash Handling Policy
Response: Utility Billing Due Date
Response: Certification Benefits

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1. Association of Public Treasurers United States and Canada  41st Annual Conference

Jazz up your Skills and avoid the interest rate blues at the APT US & C Conference in Memphis

July 22nd - July 26, 2006
The Peabody Hotel
Memphis, TN

Register by June 1st
Register today at www.aptusc.org

There is still time to Register for the Largest Government and Finance Conference in the United States
If you are a member, you must log into the members only section to get the member price for the conference.
See the Conference schedule of Events and class sessions.

Join us this summer in Memphis Tennessee for APT US&C 41st Annual Conference. This annual event is set to provide you with the highest quality of insight into the public finance world. With technology rapidly changing make sure you're not left behind by expanding your horizons through top tier speakers, exhibitors displaying their latest products and services, as well as the knowledge that you gain from your colleagues. Spend some time with your peers this summer and come back to your community as a well versed Public Treasurers.

Also helpful steps in registering for the conference (member and non-member), to book a flight, or rent a car all in the May Spotlight located in the newsletter section of our website,

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June 25-27, 2006

IMTA Annual Conference

Four Points Sheraton  618/622-9500  $70 single or double (must call before 5/26)
Fairview Heights
Registration form is online at www.imtausa.org

Julie Miller is chair for Silent Auction items.  If you have a donation please bring it to the conference.  If possible let Julie know in advance at  j_miller@mtzion.com

Nov 12-16, 2006
Treasurer's Institute
Holiday Inn Hotel & Conference Center, 1001 Killarney St, Urbana IL
(217)328-7900  Rate: $70 for single/ $80 double room plus tax

Watch your mail for registration information!!!


IMTA BOARD POSITIONS
The Nominating Committee is seeking applications for the positions of 1^st and 2^nd VP positions, as well as the 4 Board of Director positions that are due to expire (of which there is currently one vacancy to be filled).

The nomination application is on the website at www.imtausa.org .  Deadline to receive nominations is June 2, 2006. This will allow the Nominating Committee some time to review and assemble a proposed slate of candidates prior to the Conference.

Thanks for your consideration of serving IMTA.
Brad L. Bettenhausen
Treasurer/Finance Director & IMTA Nominating Chair
Village of Tinley Park         708-444-5000      708-444-5099 fax
bbettenhausen@tinleypark.org

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3. DROP LEGISLATION

Larry,
Do you have an update on the DROP legislation?  The Illinois General Assembly website reports that on 3/32006 the House re-referred to Rules
Committee.
Thanks
Michael

Michael
The proponents backed off this session.  The numbers generated from NWMC members sunk their "cost neutral" argument.  We are aware that they are planning to reintroduce this legislation next session.  Meanwhile, IML and IGFOA are planning to conduct a study this summer to quantify the impact of all the pension legislation that has passed recently.  This should provide us significant ammo to fight DROP and other pension proposals. 

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4.  UTILITY LATE PENALTIES 

I would like to know what everyone's penalty rate is for late utility bills.  Ours is currently 10% and I think we should raise it, but I need a consensus from my fellow treasures.

Also, if anyone has a sample of an employee handbook in electronic form I would greatly appreciate a copy sent via email.

As always, thanks for the info.
Kristien Hamilton
City of Creal Springs
cityofcskhamilto@aol.com

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5.  IRS REGULATIONS- EMPLOYER PROVIDED VEHICLE 

How do you determine the amount to add for a company vehicle  that is taken home each evening?
Kristien  Hamilton
City of Creal Springs
cityofcskhamilto@aol.com

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6.  MANDATORY TRASH PICK-UP ORDINANCE

I am looking for sample ordinances from anyone who has town wide "mandatory" trash pick up that you bill along with your other services - water, sewer, gas, etc. If you could please email or fax them to me that would be great.

Thanks for your help,

Kristien Hamilton
City of Creal Springs
CityofCskhamilto@aol.com

We’re just starting to talk about charging for trash pick-up.  Please forward to me any responses you get. 
Thanks,
Cindy
Alton Treasurer
croth@alton-il.com

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7.  SERVER COST COMPARISON 1991 TO 2006

While researching our software maintenance agreement I came across the configuration of a server we bought in 1991, I felt compelled to compare it to the one we just purchased.  The stats are below.

On a side note the $5,990 included a 14" monitor.   

Prepared by: Brian Gosnell, Grayslake 

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BUDGET DEFICIT
>
> In working on our annual budget we are having great difficulty in
> balancing due to our decrease in revenues, and the wage increases that are
> mandatory due to  union contracts .  I was wondering if any other
> municipal has passed a deficit budget?  Are there any laws stating this?
>
> We are in heated discussions daily so any help I can get is greatly
> appreciated.
> Joy Nardi
> City of Chicago Heights
> JNardi@chicagoheights.net
>
RESPONSE:
We ROUTINELY pass deficit budgets in some funds  :  )  Realistically,
our appropriation ordinance is the "legal" budget and is always a deficit.
We try to make our working budget (not a legal document) balanced to the
positive, but sometimes using proviously restricted funds or fund balance
means the financials show a deficit. Alta Long  along@tuscola.org

RESPONSE:  In regards to Chicago Heights question about deficit budgets: South Elgin has approved deficit budgets for each of the past 5 years. Our deficits have not been “huge” in the whole picture ($400,000 to $700,000 in the General Fund). We have a policy of maintaining a 50% or greater cash balance, based on the upcoming budgeted expenses. We have been able to budget expenses in excess of revenues, and still maintain cash balances above 50%. We do conservative budgeting, and each of the past five years we have come out in the “black”, thus erasing the deficit budgets. Our contracted attorneys, auditors, GFOA audit & budget awards committees have never had a problem with our deficit budgeting. I have never been a believer in budgeting revenues you may never get, just to balance the budget. On the other hand, deficit budgeting for a period of time without positive year end results, probably means some cuts need to be made. I hope this helps.
Art Skibley
Finance Director
Village of South Elgin

> *******************************************************************
> CASH HANDLING POLICY
> Can anyone help with a Cash Handling Policy?
> Also, does anyone audit their hotel/motel receipts to ensure they are
> reporting the correct hotel/motel taxes? If so, how do you go about
> performing this audit?
> Thanks
> Joy McCarthy, Finance Director
> Village of Antioch
> jmccarthy@antioch.il.gov

RESPONSE: I did a hotel tax audit a couple of years ago.  We could have just hired
an audit firm to do it and been out of the details, but decided to do it in
house to save money.  I got little cooperation from the hotel operator, so
we had to get our attorney involved.  When we did get records, I found
sloppy bookkeeping so it was timeconsuming.  I did find reason to bill them
for past due tax and we did that.  However, collecting was another story and
the issue was eventually dropped due to no support from council/attorney.
If you want more specific info you may email me at along@tuscola.org


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UTILITY BILLING DUE DATE
> Our council wants to extend the due date on water and sewer bills for
> businesses. Currently all bills (residential and business) are mailed out
> the last working day of the month and are due by the 15th of the following
> month. The council wants to extend the due date for businesses so they
> will have 30 days to pay because they feel it is difficult for them to get
> the bill paid in 15 days if it has to be sent to a corporate office in
> another state. Could anyone let me know the time frame for their bills?
> Thanks!
> Diana Foor
> City of Neoga
> diana@neoga.org
RESPONSE: our bills go out around the 20th of the month and are due on the 10th
of the following month. Alta Long  along@tuscola.org

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CERTIFICATION BENEFITS
> I am interested in knowing how other towns handle pay increases when an
> employee gets a certification.... such as when a public works employee
> passes a water or sewer certification. Does the employee get a raise, and
> if so, how much? Also, do the clerk and treasurer get an increase for
> attaining their certification, and if so, how much?
> Thanks!
> Diana Foor
> City of Neoga
> diana@neoga.org
RESPONSE:  We used to do a .50 per hour increase for additional water/sewer
operator certifications.  There are so many certs they can get that it
quickly became unfair.  For example, we only need someone with a class C
license to run the plant, but are paying an extra $1 per hour for someone
with a Class A license.  So we just put the operators on a matrix and
require certain license for each level.  Anything they get in addition is
paid for by the city, but no additional wages are added.
>
RESPONSE:  IMTA Certification- One time $500 bonus upon receipt of Certification & Re-Certification.  Grayslake