Insights: State and Local Government

Utilities confront decisions every day related to strategy/operations, technology and risk/compliance. Baker Tilly has published an e-book to help utilities navigate issues and opportunities and set the direction for sustainability and growth.

Public utility finances differ from other governmental entities. This Baker Tilly board governance series podcast discusses what board members should know to better understand their utility finances.

Organization-wide commitment powers a public utility’s approach to developing and sustaining an enterprise risk management (ERM) program that strategically manages its operational and financial areas.

Instructors who train utility or public sector employees on complex topics can cultivate effective training techniques to increase knowledge retention and operational success.

All the Queen's Horses, a film documenting the largest municipal fraud in U.S. history, offers takeaways for every governmental entity to strengthen internal controls and detect and prevent fraud.

Learn about current governmental accounting standards that may impact your public sector organization, projected effective dates and resources that can assist you in implementing the new standards.

Now is the time to act if you have not yet analyzed the impact of the OMB Uniform Grant guidance on the administration of your federal awards.

Baker Tilly has created a Uniform Guidance procurement policy checklist to help governmental, not-for-profit and higher education organizations implement of Uniform Guidance procurement standards.

In IMPA-HR HR News magazine, Baker Tilly outlines key considerations for developing and implementing remote work plans for government employees.

In light of the Wayfair ruling and tax reform, what are organizations now facing from states and municipalities when it comes to a number of issues, including net operating losses, market-based sourcing, nexus and state transfer pricing.

2018 year-end is the time for governments to prepare for GASB 75 implementation. Local governments in Wisconsin should address these key areas related to other postemployment benefits (OPEB).

The Governmental Accounting Standards Board recently issued Statement No. 87, Leases, which will replace the current operating and capital lease categories with a single model for lease accounting.

This summer, the U.S. Government Accountability Office issued an update to Generally Accepted Government Auditing Standards, superseding the 2011 revision.

Communities across the U.S. devastated by widespread flooding must ensure compliance with the accounting, documentation and operational requirements that accompany the award of disaster recovery aid.

In City/County Management in Illinois, Baker Tilly explains how a planned subsidies program will put renewable energy in the form of community solar projects within financial reach.

In IMPA-HR HR News magazine, Baker Tilly outlines a process for integrating workforce and succession planning into daily operations to address public sector employee turnover.

GASB Statement No. 84, Fiduciary Activities, will have a widespread impact on government financial reporting, with some of the most significant changes affecting existing agency funds.

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act includes significant changes to the Internal Revenue Code. One of these changes relates directly to the receipt of up-front cash tax increment financing (TIF).

Baker Tilly comments on proposed statement on auditing standards, Omnibus Statement on Auditing Standards — 2018

Baker Tilly industry specialists discuss the identification and changing reporting requirements of fiduciary activities.

Municipalities who must continue providing constituent services despite decreasing populations should consider conducting an operational/organizational review and options for consolidating services.

In the final part of Baker Tilly’s three-part workforce and succession planning series, organizations take steps to tailor training programs and optimize market competitiveness.

A local government experiencing rapid population growth selects a new ERP system to meet new constituent needs, increase operational efficiencies and inform strategic decisions.

In part two of Baker Tilly’s three-part workforce and succession planning series, organizations refine core competencies and identify top talent to build a succession bench.

Managers in local government should adopt risk-based contract management procedures according to an article Baker Tilly co-authored for the International City/County Management Association.

This webinar reviews the new Other Postemployment Benefits (OPEB) standard (GASB 75).

In part one of Baker Tilly’s three-part workforce and succession planning series, public sector and not-for-profit organizations learn to define their outlook and high priority positions.

Beyond compliance requirements and annual report cards, the annual audit process can spark new insights, connections and resources for your public sector organization or community-owned utility.

An audit does not need to be a complex, frustrating ordeal. You can achieve a smooth, efficient audit that provides major value to your organization by adhering to one principle: preparation.

With integrated best of breed (BoB) and enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, a midsize Midwestern city better manages its financials and identifies future budget needs.

A midsize Midwestern city needed an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system with fully integrated modules that enhanced reporting abilities and reduced reconciliation time.

The Village of West Baraboo enlisted Baker Tilly’s state and local government outsourced accounting services team during a treasurer transition for bookkeeping services, budget assistance and audit preparation to address inefficiencies and ensure success.

As baby boomers near retirement age, local governments have an unmatched opportunity to assess organizational structure and realign roles, duties and reporting lines to meet current and future needs.

Vendor fraud poses a unique threat to governments. Due to the public nature of their operations, government entities have an increased susceptibility for this type of criminal activity.

City of Stoughton enlists the help of Baker Tilly outsourced accounting services to avoid gap in daily accounting tasks, support staff and aid in Finance Director transition.

In July 2017, COFAR released an update to the FAQs document of the Uniform Guidance.

Watch this on-demand webinar to learn how your public sector organization can communicate with its IT staff and together take preventative measures against cyberattacks.

Learn how public sector organizations can achieve sustainability and resiliency by harnessing human capital, finance and technology.

An interview with Susannah Baney, a Manager on Baker Tilly’s state and local government audit team, who served two years as a GASB Fellow.

Budget time is starting for many Wisconsin governments and following Wisconsin State Statute Section 65.90 is a must for developing a compliant budget.

By having a team of outsourced accounting specialists on standby, you can add significant scalability to your finance team by outsourcing specific functions — from data entry to finance director.

Baker Tilly and the Village of Sauk City have worked together for more than 35 years. Most recently, the outsourced accounting services team was brought on to assist the village with a variety of financial services.

The Village of Union Grove utilizes Baker Tilly's outsourced accounting team to streamline operations.

OMB issued an addendum to the Uniform Guidance on May 17, 2017. The amendment allows nonfederal entities an additional year to implement the Uniform Guidance requirements related to procurement.

If you are a recipient of federal awards, you’ve likely completed your first single audit under the Uniform Guidance. In this article, we share observations our auditors made over the last year.

In January, GASB issued new guidance to address how governments report fiduciary activities which is effective for fiscal years ending on or after December 31, 2019.

In November 2016, GASB Statement No. 83, Certain Asset Retirement Obligations was issued requiring retired assets are measured and recognized as legally enforceable liabilities.

As a defense against workplace fraud, it's a good idea to review your internal payroll and timekeeping controls annually.

GASB recently issued an Invitation to Comment on the financial reporting model. State and local governments are encouraged to comment by March 31, 2017.

The Department of Labor’s new federal overtime rule has been derailed by a federal judge in Texas. This action came on November 22 and fell on the heels of several lawsuits filed by states and other special interest organizations

Drinking, cooking, bathing, laundry, dishes, pets, livestock, crops, fighting fires—the essential uses of water in our daily lives go on and on. It is hard to imagine life without water.

The Village of Waunakee experienced turnover in two accounting roles. Baker Tilly state and local government outsourcing professionals helped fill the gap.

A growing city ensures retention of institutional knowledge and is better prepared for implementing a new system after its business processes are documented.

Municipal governments and other public sector entities face pressures to increase efficiency and effectiveness of operations with limited financial resources.

A mid-size city will increase the performance of its public utility by implementing Baker Tilly's improvement recommendations.

Do you have questions on fringe benefit taxation for your government? Baker Tilly's state and local government team has answers.

Municipal governments and other public sector entities are under immense pressure to provide services in the most cost effective manner.

Baker Tilly performed an operational review for key functional areas in an Illinois city and identified more than $10 million in annual savings opportunities.

Baker Tilly professionals can offer recommendations on how to move forward to ensure compliance with the new rule by December 1.

The Minnesota Legislature passed a bill that now allows Minnesota counties to hire private audit firms. With this change, counties need information on how to choose a qualified firm.

Employing the best practices will help an organization procure the ERP system that is best suited to meet their business needs and support the organization’s strategic objectives.

Watch this webinar recording to learn best practices for conducting a system needs assessment, developing system requirements, conducting vendor demonstrations, and engaging all project stakeholders so you can make a successful ERP purchase decision.

As our work becomes increasingly dependent on technology, cybercrime has accelerated. Understanding how cyberattacks are launched and the weapons of choice adversaries use helps us protect IT assets.

Baker Tilly performed a comprehensive analysis of the city’s cost of service in each functional area and worked closely with city finance and accounting staff to determine appropriate cost centers.

Government is the second most likely industry to be impacted by fraud. This article explores common fraud schemes and provides prevention and detection controls that help mitigate fraud risk.

Learn more about GASB 72 and how its Fair Value Measurement and Application will impact your local government or public utility.

The US Department of Labor has announced the highly anticipated changes to the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) overtime regulations. These final regulations substantially change the compensation threshold for “white collar” exemptions from the requirement to pay overtime to employees.

Many utilities spend an extensive amount of time creating reports for their management and/or board of directors using antiquated processes which can significantly weaken their internal controls.

Baker Tilly responds to GASB Exposure Draft, Fiduciary Activities

Baker Tilly responds to the GASB Exposure Draft, Certain Asset Retirement Obligations

Uniform Guidance will impact your organization’s single audit. This webinar will discuss the changes and how they will impact your single audit.

In January 2016, the Governmental Accounting Standards Board released an exposure draft that promises to greatly change the face of lease accounting for organizations that must follow GASB

Your single audit should be a smooth process. This webinar will help clarify the roles and responsibilities of both the auditor and the auditee for your next single audit under the Uniform Guidance.

Learn the potential benefits and opportunities of outsourced accounting services.

While we identify critical lessons from the Great Recession, the reality is many government entities have not fully recovered.

Although personnel changes are often unpredictable, your organization can be ahead of the curve by completing these steps and making succession planning a strategic priority.

Learn the top ten changes you should expect for your next single audit. Familiarize yourself with these and other Uniform Guidance requirements to ensure compliance with federal grant awards.

A debt management policy is just one of a number of important plans that your government should have in place to help ensure a common understanding between management and the governing body.

The IRS’s new Form 3115 and instructions contain revisions that incorporate modifications and additions from two revenue procedures issued in early 2015.

Understand the process of implementing cybersecurity controls and leading cybersecurity control standards.

If your government has programs that are considered tax abatements under GASB Statement No. 77, certain financial statement disclosures are now required.

Beginning with June 30, 2015 fiscal year ends, units of local governments will be required to implement GASB 68 and GASB 71.

As you prepare for your government’s fiscal year 2015 audit, Baker Tilly state and local government auditors recommend evaluating these five issues.

Designed with the state and local government board member in mind, this high-level podcast can help you identify fraud within your government and explores various methods for carrying out a fraud risk assessment.

Recent changes from the US Office of Management and Budget (OMB), entitled “Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards” (Uniform Guidance) will impact subrecipient monitoring. These changes will impact new federal awards and changes to funding increments with changed terms and conditions issued after Dec. 26, 2014. If your organization does not yet understand these changes, now is the time to act.

For municipalities participating in the Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS), learn how GASB 68 affects your organization’s year-end reporting.

Updates announced to the frequently asked questions under Uniform Guidance.

Data classification is an important first step in establishing a cybersecurity management program, as it allows an organization to make managerial decisions about resource allocation to secure data from unauthorized access.

A large municipality enacted a program to renovate several schools as well as construct new schools and engaged Baker Tilly to examine and monitor the implementation of the diversity plan.

A community college required assistance in their accounting department. Leveraging deep industry insight, we provided the necessary accounting expertise and coverage to meet the client’s needs.

Today’s fiscal reality forces government administrators to take a hard look at spending, but can cutting important functions like HR cost your government more in the long run?

In many governments, it may seem that endless hours are devoted to budgeting and budget management. It is important not to be discouraged, as time spent budgeting can be good news.

Learn about key financial ratios and benchmarks to help board members gauge their government’s financial health.

Better understand fund balance and other financial policies that help state and local government board members establish goals, strategy, and credibility.

Through outsourced accounting services, Baker Tilly helps new government district build strong financial foundation.

Baker Tilly specialists help a small municipal client by offering outsourced accounting services, saving the municipality an estimated $25,000 annually.

Baker Tilly assisted Dodge County, Wisconsin in preparing for the implementation of the requirements under Uniform Grant Guidance.

Ensuring the security of government deposits and investments is a fiduciary responsibility of the governing body and management. These common mechanisms help governments fulfill their duty to safeguard public funds.

Ensuring there are adequate controls over both traditional and electronic processes and periodically reviewing those controls can help mitigate your government’s susceptibility to fraud. Baker Tilly’s audit team encourages you to consider implementing these five low-cost controls.

Each government is unique in its public needs, structure, and plans, and your fund balance levels should reflect those factors.

For recipients of federal awards that currently have a negotiated indirect cost rate, there is now a requirement that all federal awarding agencies accept this negotiated rate unless otherwise required by federal statute or regulation or when approved based on documented justification.

Our society depends on critical civic and social services provided by state and local governments. These services require effective cybersecurity to support the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of this data.

One of the most discussed areas of change as a result of the Uniform Guidance is to the requirements surrounding tracking and reporting of payroll related costs, or time and effort reporting.

New accounting method change procedures will help small businesses comply with repair and maintenance regulations.

Two new revenue procedures mean major modifications for accounting method changes.

The new general requirements of Uniform Guidance and five methods of procurement most closely follow the previous OMB Circular 102, Grants and Cooperative Agreements with State and Local Governments.

Every municipal and county government across the country needs to attract new residents and businesses. For some communities, the key to success in their economic and community development initiatives lies in placemaking.

As the holders of sensitive information and the provider of essential human services, state and local governments should be concerned about cybersecurity.

GASB No. 45 outlines current guidance for the accounting and financial reporting of other postemployment benefits (OPEB) by governmental employers.

Formal documentation of accounting policies and procedures can help your government create an internal control framework and ensure accountability and consistency in daily transactions and for financial reporting.

In the accounting profession, the war for top talent is in full force. Follow these eight tips to get the most out of your recruitment dollars.

An impromptu survey reveals what public officials worry most about and what makes them optimistic about the future.

To cope with increasingly tight finances, government entities across the nation continue employing both targeted and across-the-board spending cuts. Though often necessary to avoid insolvency, it is important to examine how budget cuts affect government operations.

Recently, additional webcast training opportunities from COFAR and the AICPA became available in archive format.

Even though the Green Book was written for the Federal Government, Baker Tilly public sector specialists have found the framework to be a useful reference for state and local governments, quasi-government entities, and not-for-profit organizations when designing internal control systems.

When you don’t properly secure your IT infrastructure, risk is sure to follow.

Have you ever found where another department in your government has opened its own bank account?

As a whole, local governments have been hit hard by the Great Recession. One of the main strategies that governments have employed to address the financial crisis has been spending cuts.

Contractors purchasing materials for use in a Minnesota construction project with an exempt entity must have detailed supporting documentation to ensure these purchases are exempt from state sales and use taxes. Without such documentation, the contractor or subcontractor that supplied the materials may be subject to back taxes, penalties, and interest due to the state.

The city of Rockford needed to reduce a budget deficit without significantly impacting core municipal service levels. Developing comprehensive operational assessments allows staff the flexibility to try new things and forward suggestions to management for implementation.

Learn how a well-written financial policy can offer a multitude of ongoing benefits for your organization.

On July 23, 2014 the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) adopted a Final Rule that amends Rule 2a-7 of the Investment Company Act of 1940, which governs money market funds. These long anticipated amendments are designed to provide both structural and operational reform addressing an investor run on funds during a financial crisis, as was seen in 2008. The Final Rule becomes effective sixty days after publication in the Federal Register and provides for a two-year implementation period.

Due to increased concerns about potential widespread violations of the federal securities laws by municipal issuers and underwriters the SEC has undertaken a new initiative to identify and clean up false certifications.

Employers are now more than ever faced with additional obligations under the Affordable Care Act, this article provides an overview of how the final regulations affect employer groups by employee size.

This article is the first in a series related to internal control assessment and your government. This is an introduction to the recent update of the COSO Internal Control Framework.

Governor Quinn recently signed into law P.A. 98-0738 amending the Illinois Municipal Code to establish certain disclosure requirements for municipal audits.

Learn about the OMB Uniform Grant Guidance, how the consolidation resulted in various areas of change to the previous requirements, and what you can do to get ready.

Many organizations receiving federal awards are still assessing the impact the OMB uniform guidance will have on them. With the effective date looming, now is the time to assess the changes necessary to obtain compliance and determine a plan of action. To help you get started, we have developed a checklist of important steps you should take and key items to consider along the way.

This webinar will offer information and recommendations for developing a successful plan to implement the changes related to the OMB Uniform Grant Guidance.

Governing boards, usually via an audit committee, should take an active role in monitoring the risk and mitigation of fraud, as well as in overseeing an effective ethics and compliance program.

Mobile devices transform the way your organization serves customers and generates business, as well as communicates with your employees and stakeholders. These same devices bring new and increased risks to your organization’s data, competitive advantage/intellectual property, and reputation. Managing these risks requires a holistic approach, which goes beyond just securing the software on a device.

This webinar is designed to provide helpful tools and strategies for managing your ERP implementation project.

A law firm counseling a government agency needed a firm that could discreetly perform inquiries and testing of the CFO’s financial transactions to explore for potentially fraudulent or imprudent transactions.

A county agency engaged Baker Tilly to perform a review of the project controls related to a facility upgrade.

An innovative organizational assessment plan shifts organizational focus towards enhanced and responsive service delivery instead of growth.

This webinar is designed to provide an overview of the latest healthcare reform rules for individuals in the public sector.

Read about the lifecycle of benchmarking and how it can prove to be a high-value tool for your organization.

A well-designed financial policy plays an important role in the overall financial strength of an organization.

Learn about key implementation considerations for the new pension reporting standards for the Minnesota Public Employees’ Retirement Association (PERA), Teachers’ Retirement Association (TRA), and/or Minnesota State Retirement System (MSRS) General Plan.

This webinar is designed to educate internal auditors, procurement professionals, and other stakeholders on some techniques and tools that can be used to detect and prevent procurement fraud.

This webinar reviews the accounting and financial reporting standards for government combinations and disposals of operations in accordance with GASB Statement 69.

2013 Wisconsin Act 20 requires a corresponding reduction in the levy limit for certain new fees or increases in certain existing fees for covered services on or after.

With Baker Tilly’s analysis, the district and its board members are able to maintain compliance with the state’s regulatory requirements for the chart of accounts and customize it to the needs of the district and other external agencies.

Working with Baker Tilly, the city achieved a smooth transition for the comptroller and eliminated a significant staffing void. The efficient collaboration led to a carefully prepared audit with limited adjustments and within budget.

Baker Tilly delivered comprehensive documentation of the client’s financial procedures, identified potential risks, and provided recommendations based on their current resources and technology systems capabilities.

Developing a budget for information technology is about much more than line items and equipment.

At a time when public agencies are more conscientious about how public dollars are spent, it is imperative that contracts are initially developed with an end-goal in mind.

Learn about key implementation considerations for the new pension reporting standards for Wisconsin Retirement System, the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund and/or the Teachers’ Retirement System.

The US Office of Management and Budget recently issued comprehensive grant reform rules, read about the changes and how to comply.

Newly issued guidance gives transition relief to certain eligible employers.

Baker Tilly specialists discuss key changes to grant administrative requirements, cost circulars, and audit requirements affecting federally-funded organizations.

Discover the components of the recent GASB 67 and 68 issuance and learn about the new changes taking effect for the accounting and reporting of pensions for both the pension plan and the local government employer.

Why does fraud continue to occur in public sector entities, and who is responsible for preventing and detecting it?

Water utility infrastructure placed in service after January 4, 2014 must meet new lead standards.

Tax Incremental Finance allows municipalities to invest in infrastructure projects necessary to improve their communities.

Microsoft will no longer support the Windows XP operating system or any of the programs in its Office 2003 software suite, including Word 2003 and Excel 2003 after April 2014.

A recent summary of water rate increases by the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin showed the median increase for 2013 so far has been 30 percent.

Discover the components of the recent GASB 67 and 68 issuance and learn about the new changes taking effect for the accounting and reporting of pensions for both the pension plan and the local government employer.

An audit committee should take an active role in the prevention and deterrence of fraud, as well as an effective ethics and compliance program.

Whether it is through misappropriation of assets, theft of inventory, or the reputational damage that results from fraud, the threat continues to be of concern.

In this article we begin to explore why workforce and succession planning is still an issue and how governments can begin to address the issue without significant financial investment.

In early July what had been championed as the municipal utility privacy bill became law. The bill clarifies that certain utility customer information is not considered a record under Wisconsin’s open records laws and thus should not be released without customer permission unless one of the specific exemptions is met.

Recent evaluations of the state of America’s infrastructure indicate that an exceptional amount of financing is required to repair and replace our aging infrastructure.

A government is accountable for the services provided to taxpayers and for the way that it uses its resources to provide those services. One way to enhance accountability is to form an audit committee.

On July 2, 2013, the United States Department of Treasury announced that there would be a delay of the information reporting requirements and Large Employer Shared Responsibility provisions of the ACA until 2015. This one year delay was confirmed in Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Notice 2013-45 issued on July 9, 2013.

Over the past decade, we have seen instances where governmental subdivisions (including independent school districts) have designed "severance pay" programs that have resulted in less than favorable tax treatment to its employees.

This series will help you see eye to eye with your IT department as you discover the ways in which IT controls can help your organization’s finance activities. Each quarter, a new webcast will be introduced with each presentation for viewing at your convenience.

Hear fraud stories from the field as well as strategies and approaches for the Audit Committee and Board to increase awareness of their role.

In this webinar series, our professionals discuss the decision-making processes of site selectors and expanding businesses, and how a municipality can position itself for economic growth.

In 2014, both public and private sector employers will be asked to share in the responsibility of providing health insurance to employees who will be required to have health insurance under the individual mandate. This is also known as the employer Pay or Play requirements under the ACA.

No topic in government finance is more controversial right now than employee pensions. Recognizing this trend, the Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) has issued Statements No. 67 and No. 68 that document upcoming changes in the accounting and financial reporting for pensions by governmental entities.

With the economy in distress for the past several years, state and local governments remain under tight budgetary pressure. It is no surprise that unforeseen fiscal problems have increased the risk of fraud in municipal securities.

The Public Service Commission of Wisconsin (PSCW) announced on May 23 the approval of changes to the Uniform System of Accounts (USOA) for municipal electric, water and sewer utilities related to the accounting for debt issuance costs.

Over the past decade, we have seen the widespread selection and deployment of enterprise resource planning systems (ERP) in government.

Recent changes pertaining to the Affordable Care Act Section 4980H – Pay or Play proposed requirements forecast several changes to how organizations will need to evaluate healthcare coverage for their employees. In this webinar, Karen Breitnauer, Compliance Attorney for M3 Insurance, provides an in-depth review of how these changes affect your organization.

In this webinar series, Baker Tilly state and local government specialists discuss best practices for government agencies.

This webinar will help your organization discover the recent GASB 65 issuance and how it impacts your financial statements.

On February 12, 2013, President Obama signed the highly anticipated executive order on cybersecurity. The order focuses on the growing concern of cyber intrusions on the nation’s critical infrastructure.

Information technology is increasingly important given the current mantra of doing more with less. Critical to effective technology plans is how the required investments will be prioritized and funded.

The legislation passed by Congress last year to raise the federal debt ceiling included a provision referred to as sequestration. This clause basically provides that if Congress is unable to agree on additional budget cuts by January 2, 2013 that will reduce the federal deficit over the next ten years, then a series of automatic cuts will go into effect.

Fraud can be detrimental to an organization, both financially and culturally. Over the years, we have encountered many cases of fraud in a variety of industries. The following three examples reflect fraud our specialists have either discovered or helped investigate, along with behavioral warning signs and tips for preventing similar acts in the future.

In an effort to make US generally accepted auditing standards (GAAS) easier to read, understand, and apply, the Auditing Standards Board (ASB) undertook an effort to redraft all of the auditing sections in the Codification of Statements on Auditing Standards. This is also known as the Clarity Project. The ASB established drafting conventions and, among other improvements, the new standards more clearly specify the objectives of the auditor and the requirements with which the auditor has to comply when conducting an audit in accordance with GAAS.

Baker Tilly is committed to achieving the highest quality audits. As you may already know, our firm is a member of the AICPA’s Governmental Audit Quality Center (GAQC), which entitles us access to key information and comprehensive resources that we use to help ensure our compliance with appropriate professional standards and laws and regulations that affect our audits. Through our membership in the GAQC, we also adhere to membership requirements designed to enhance the quality of our audit practice. We are pleased to inform you that the GAQC has recently launched a new Auditee Resource Center, which is intended to assist procurers of audit services (i.e., auditees). We hope that as an auditee, your organization will take advantage of this great resource.

A Service Concession Arrangement (SCA) in the public sector generally refers to a negotiated contract which gives an entity the right to do business with government assets, with some specific requirements. Recently, Governmental Accounting Standards Board Statement No. 60, "Accounting and Financial Reporting for Service Concession Arrangements" became effective for periods beginning after December 15, 2011. This statement provides guidance on how to account for Service Concession Arrangements (SCAs) or what has been commonly called Public Private Partnerships (P3s) in the public sector. This article will discuss the potential that SCAs can have in helping governments with financing and transferring certain risks of large projects in your community.

This webinar focuses on how to understand your government's annual financial statements by reviewing different ratios and other financial analysis tools. It also helps users of financial statements analyze the financial health of their entity in order to assist future decision making and budgeting for upcoming years.

The most recent news headline from Dixon, Illinois, has pushed the issue of fraud in the public sector into the spotlight. To date, the prosecutors allege that the City comptroller stole more than $53 million since the 1990s from public funds through a secret bank account. While this story would seem like an isolated incident, the truth is, fraud is more widespread than you might think. According to a just-released report, “2012 Report to the Nations - Association of Certified Fraud Examiners, Inc.," the cost of fraud amounts to $3.5 trillion on a global scale.

Personnel costs make of roughly 70 percent of most municipal budgets, but does your municipality currently devote 70 percent of its improvement and efficiency efforts toward this asset?

GASB 61, The Financial Reporting Entity: Omnibus amends the reporting standards for reporting component units in a government’s financial statements.

Cities, villages, and towns in Wisconsin and home rule municipalities in Illinois have the ability to charge developers impact fees to offset the capital costs for public facilities needed as a result of new development. The local units of government can charge for such improvements as transportation infrastructure, sewage and water facilities, parks and recreation, fire and police facilities, libraries, and others (specific uses are governed by the statutes in each state).

In 2000, there were ten separate public safety answering points (PSAP) throughout Waukesha County. The County Executive, the Director of Administration, and the County Board determined it was time to explore potential consolidation of these individual facilities into one centralized structure serving the entire County. Two main factors led to the consideration of consolidating the dispatch centers.

Managed competition is a process used by local governments to identify the most cost-effective method for quality service delivery. It calls for carefully comparing the costs and benefits of contracting with private business or another government entity against the costs and benefits of providing the service in-house. It is important to note that managed competition is not the same as privatization.

The Local Government Institute of Wisconsin (LGI) is a collaboration of leaders from all associations representing local government in Wisconsin – the League of Wisconsin Municipalities, the Wisconsin Counties Associations, the Wisconsin Towns Association and the Alliance of Cities. The entity was formed specifically to develop consensus among governmental leaders relative to key actions required for effective government transformation given the integral role governmental plays in the vitality of so many aspects of Wisconsin communities.

In recent years, federal agencies have been increasing the intensity of their monitoring efforts over federal grant awards. This is likely the result of a higher level of federal grant expenditures due to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) as well as the directive from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for federal agencies to increase the transparency and accountability over grant funding.

We’ve all heard stories about customer and sensitive information breaches, which stem anywhere from hacked databases to stolen laptops to web exposures to employee theft. In such instances, we think to ourselves: “How did they let that happen?"

This webinar highlights how effective human resource management can be a powerful fiscal tool. Since the largest expenditure line in your budget is personnel expenditures, even small changes to improve efficiency can yield significant results.

Baker Tilly’s professionals review upcoming GASBs that are about to become effective.

For decades, the mantra of local government has been to do more with less, which has led many counties and municipalities to limit or reduce spending in their operating budgets. However, in a number of states the election results of 2010 have translated the public debate over the appropriate level of government spending into specific proposals to reduce the amount of state financial support for local governments.

Our webinar is designed to help you better understand the audit and the audit process. Baker Tilly professionals, Wendi Unger and Paul Frantz, will discuss who actually needs an audit, the different types of audits, and why it is important to be ready.

The Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act (FFATA) directs federal agencies to collect data regarding the spending of federal awards and contracts.

Having moved into an era of "recovery" from the previous preference to "supersize" everything, public sector entities are finding themselves reflecting carefully on how to achieve that optimal size which allows them to provide services at the levels expected, for a cost that is deemed acceptable. How does an entity identify and reach that desired organizational size?

The purpose of LOGIS is to provide effective, reliable and adaptable technology solutions to Minnesota public agencies through the sharing of ideas, risks, resources and costs in a cooperative partnership that evolves with agencies. The LOGIS Executive Committee engaged Baker Tilly to facilitate a strategic positioning plan to ensure technology solutions offered are supporting changing municipal government needs.

In this webinar, we discuss how your organization can get the most out of your revenue streams. At a time when economically sensitive revenues have decreased and the need for social services has increased, governments need to assess and improve how the collection of taxes, licenses, fees, and penalties are performed.

This webinar explores why succession planning is still very much a current issue, and possibly a greater issue than it was 10 years ago. The discussion focuses on how governments can begin to address the matter without significant financial investment and make your organization transition between employees in a more planned manner. You will hear real life examples of succession planning and strategies that your organization can start implementing today.

Nearly ten years ago, we first heard about succession planning in government. In anticipation of massive Baby Boomer retirements, human resource practitioners were advocating for organizations to consider how to manage this impending knowledge drain.

Governments across the nation continue to be challenged by decreased revenues and increased costs of operation. Rightsizing an organization is about much more than reducing the size of the workforce. Learn from specific case studies developed over a decade of work in the public sector about how to successfully navigate through a rightsizing program. Hear about a range of budget options including staff realignments, shared service, and smart sourcing.

Though GASB 45 and Other Postemployment Benefits (OPEB) have been around for several years, we still receive questions on this topic. This webinar has been designed to help you identify OPEBs that may exist in your government and various things to consider. It will help you gain a better understanding of actuarial reports and the reporting requirements for OPEBs.

Tax increment financing is a powerful tool that can enable your community to attract the type of investment needed to meet your specific economic development goals. This program has been designed to provide you with information and strategies to keep your TIF on the right track in these challenging economic times.

A recent segment on the long-running CBS show 60 Minutes featured an episode on the precarious financial health of state governments titled “The Day of Reckoning.” While much of the focus was on State governments, those being interviewed and in-the-know discussed how the dire financial situation of state governments is likely to rapidly trickle down to local municipalities, counties, and schools if something isn’t done soon.

In the current fiscal environment, public sector shared services and consolidation efforts are back on the table for many communities. Learn the critical success factors required for intergovernmental cooperative agreements, get acquainted with some of the biggest myths surrounding consolidation of local government services, and hear about successful case studies.

The Local Government Institute of Wisconsin has released the results of a Baker Tilly directed study which lays the foundation for transforming local government service delivery in Wisconsin. LGI is a collaboration of leaders from all associations representing local government in Wisconsin – the League of Wisconsin Municipalities, the Wisconsin Counties Associations, the Wisconsin Towns Association and the Alliance of Cities. The entity was formed specifically to develop consensus among governmental leaders relative to key actions required for effective government transformation given the integral role governmental plays in the vitality of so many aspects of Wisconsin communities.