MiniNews: March 2002 - CSMFOmedia.csmfo.org/archives/mininews/64.pdf · California Society of Municipal Finance Officers ... Director of Finance/Treasurer, City of Vista March 2002

California Society of Municipal Finance Officers

President’s MessageBarbara Underwood, Director of Finance/Treasurer, City of Vista

March 2002

(continued on page 2)

What’s inside...President’s Message .................................................................... 1Chapter Corner: North Coast ....................................................... 3CSMFO Chapter Chairs List .......................................................... 3Intergovernmental Relations Committee ......................................... 4April/May GASB 34 Workshop in La Mirada .................................. 4Chapter Meetings ......................................................................... 5Mark Your Calendars .................................................................... 6CSMFO Technology Tip ................................................................. 62002 CSMFO CAFR Award Winners ............................................. 72002 CSMFO Budget Award Winners ........................................... 8Up the Ladder .............................................................................. 9Professional Services Directory ................................................. 11 Attachment: GASB 34 workshop flier and registration form

The MiniNews is yournewsletter! Takeadvantage of our

monthly publication bysharing with us yourideas. CSMFO is

always seeking inputfrom all members on

topics in anydepartment section.

Don’t forget to visit thewebsite at

www.csmfo.org for thelatest news!

I am delighted to share with you my firstMiniNews article as your new President.Like many of you, I have just returnedfrom the very successful and enjoyableSan Diego CSMFO conference and amsifting through the stacks of mail,reports, and phone calls that came inwhile I was away. Isn’t it just amazinghow many e-mails are sent in a day!!From the input I’ve already received,the conference was again a greatsuccess, filled with up-to-date andinformative information and well worththe time away from the office. Inaddition, of course, the weathercertainly cooperated, as it was bright,sunny, and warm throughout theconference. The final registrationestimate for this year’s conference is700, making it the most well-attendedconference yet. Since each HostCommittee somehow is able to make theconference more spectacular each year,I am already looking forward to nextyear in Sacramento.

Once again, I would like to thank theHost Committee for all their hard workand “sweat equity” that went into makingthe conference so outstanding. Fromthe excellent sessions to the dazzlingBarefoot Beach Bash, great fun was hadby all. For those who weren’t able toattend, Lisa Hildabrand and KevinBranca from Carlsbad and Viki Copelandfrom the Career DevelopmentCommittee, designed so many qualityprograms that it was hard to decidewhich one to attend. If you would liketapes of the sessions, an order form will

be available for download from theCSMFO web site (www.csmfo.org); Iurge all of you to consider obtaining tapesof the sessions you were unable to attend.

Congratulations and thank you to MaryBradley and Harriet Commons foroverseeing the pre-conference seminar,“Getting Beyond the Debits and Credits:The Policy Implications of GASB 34.”Although originally designed for 60attendees, the desire to obtain thisinformation was keen and room capacitywas reached with 140 attendees. KevinW. Harper, CPA, David Bean, Director ofResearch, GASB, and Dave Millican,Deputy City Manager, Fremont, did anexcellent job focusing on the key policyissues that Finance Directors will faceimplementing GASB 34 and how toconvey what GASB 34 is all about to theCity Manager and City Council.

Steve Farber set the stage for theconference as he shared his views on

leadership and reminded us that aleaders’ role in the organization is to“create the culture” and it is importantto understand that “most people workfor a higher purpose than a paycheck.”The old adage that if you do what youlove, then you’ll love what you do,continues to be true. Leadership is apublic act, not something we do aloneand Steve opined that it is important forleaders remember to “DWYSYWD”which means “Do What You Say YouWill Do.”

Then Dick Butterfield, a presentation,communication and media coach, spokeabout how to communicate moreeffectively and provided specific tips forall to use when communicating ideasthrough the use of sound bites andstorytelling. These persuasion toolsdefinitely will help us ride the unevensurf ahead.

California Society ofMunicipal Finance Officers

Officers and DirectorsPresident Barbara Underwood, VistaPresident-Elect Tim Hansen, FremontPast President Bill Statler, San Luis ObispoSecretary/ Frances Medema, League Treasurer of California Cities

DirectorsMark Alvarado, MonroviaDennis Danner, Newport BeachMike Dennis, Santa MonicaZane Johnston, TracyKen Nordhoff, San RafaelJanet Salvetti, Stockton

Special District LiaisonEldon Boone, Vista Irrigation District

CommitteesAdministration

Gary Hill, LancasterRichard Averett, San CarlosIrwin Bornstein, Mission Viejo

Annual SeminarDennis Danner, Newport BeachDon Rhodes, MontereyBill Statler, San Luis Obispo

Budgeting & Management ReportingJoan Michaels, BurbankAnita Lawrence, Camarillo

Career DevelopmentCarolyn Dominguez, San Luis ObispoLisa Hildabrand, CarlsbadViki Copeland, Hermosa BeachRonnie Campbell, LakewoodMary Bradley, Sunnyvale

Debt, Retirement and TreasuryBradley Grant, MercedBarbara Hennessy, Long BeachHoward Longballa, Alhambra

Intergovernmental RelationsGary Nordquist, FontanaCraig Graves, CoachellaBob Torrez, Long Beach

Professional & Technical StandardsBret Plumlee, El SegundoBill Thomas, PetalumaKaren Brust, San Diego Water AuthorityDerek Hanway, Burbank

TechnologyJosh Betta, South PasadenaLinda Downing, MarinaMark Alvarado, Monrovia

Scholarship ProgramRobert S. Biery, Westlake VillageCandis Hong, Thousand Oaks

CSMFO MiniNews March 2002

President’s Message (cont’d from page 1)

Tapan Munroe, a nationally andinternationally known economist, sharedhis views on the economy andcommented that he believed the March2001 recession should be over verysoon, and in fact, may already be over.He did caution, however, that we shouldnot expect to see a resounding recoverybut rather something less robust. Heindicated that the best economic newswas that inflation is still contained, partlyas a result of the slow economy but alsobecause the last five years has seenhigher productivity and good leadership,which significantly contributed to thislow inflation environment.

Dr. Janet Lapp presented a highly-charged program encouraging us todevelop a renewed enjoyment of life andgave some tips in order to bring balanceinto one’s life. It seems like more oftenthan not we hear colleagues bemoan thefact that they don’t spend enough timeexercising, playing, and relaxing. Dr.Janet reminded us that “guilt meansyou’re doing something healthful foryourself, figure out what your toppriorities are and don’t feel guilty doingthem.”

In addition to our four keynote speakers,other sessions included such topics as“How to Profit from Taking Losses” byBen Finkelstein, Senior Vice President,Stanford Group Company; “No-Nonsense Networking” by Jenni Prisk,President of Prisk Communications;“Personal Balance-Bringing Your WholeSelf To Work” by Delia Horwitz; “HotTopics in Governmental Accounting” byDavid Bean, Director of Research,GASB; “Images of Leadership” by Dr.Trudy Sopp; “How to Prepare AnAward-Winning Budget “ by AnitaLawrence, Director of Finance,Camarillo, Mark Puckett, FinanceDirector, Costa Mesa, and JoanMichaels, Budget Manager, Burbank; and“Fiscal Health Contingency Planning” byBill Statler, Finance Director, San LuisObispo. In addition, there were many

more speakers who provided excellentpresentations. If you would like to ordertapes of the sessions, an order form willbe available for download from theCSMFO web site (www.csmfo.org) byMarch 10th, or you can contact MasterDuplicators directly at (714) 444-2200or [email protected].

CSMFO Board Meetings. The CSMFOBoard held two meetings during theconference and considered severalimportant items. Tim Hansen moved intothe President-Elect position and MarkAlvarado from Monrovia and JanetSalvetti from Stockton began their termas Board members.

The Policies and Procedures Manual wasupdated and will be posted on theCSMFO web site. The Board approveda multi-year agreement with L&AMeeting and Management Services, Inc.L&A is providing assistance with the2003 Conference and through thisagreement will be assisting future HostCommittees with the conference details.The Annual Conference has grown in sizeand comprehensiveness as ourmembership has grown and local financeofficials have become even busier (if thatis possible). Assistance from L&A isexpected to ease some of the burden onthe local Host Committee without addedexpenses and provide the organizationwith the benefit of assistance fromprofessionals in the conference-planningarena.

Interest was recently expressed inupdating our Project Outreach Directory.To that end, Bill Statler is updating thedocument and it is expected to be postedon our web site by May 2002. Inaddition, the Board met with the SanDiego Host Committee to solicit feedbackregarding the conference and came awaywith suggestions that will assist nextyear’s committee with many conferencedetails.


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Chapter Corner: North CoastJim McAdler - Administrative Services Director, Town of Windsor

Lessons Learned from a Class &Comp Study

The Town of Windsor completed aclassification and compensation studyin 1991, when it was a water district.The Town is now a full-service city, andwe figured it was time to do another“class and comp” study. We alsothought it would be important to reviewour organization structure to considerthe kinds and numbers of Townpositions needed now and in theforeseeable future. As AdministrativeServices Director, I coordinated thisTown-wide effort with help from aconsultant. We started the lengthy andoften intense process in November2000.

The first step was to develop a strategyand “buy in” from our employees.

Windsor has 58 regular employees andit was fairly easy to assemble allmanagement staff and employee unitreps for two strategy meetings. Amongother things, we discussed the studyprocess and goals, and we identifiedother public agencies comparable toWindsor for surveying salaryinformation. The range of our salarysurvey was primarily on the local labormarket for most classifications. Wealso affirmed that no employee wouldtake a pay cut and that managementwould openly discuss the study withemployees throughout the process.

Then the real work started. First, almostall employees completed positiondescription questionnaires and wereinterviewed. We also prepared a salarysurvey form to send to other agenciesfor the market comparison. We

worked fast and furiously, and asscheduled the consultant delivered hisfirst drafts of the organization chartsand class specifications (jobdescriptions) for all current and futurepositions. Employees made commentsand the drafts were then finalized. Theconsultants used the class specs as thebasis for the market comparisons.

After the market results were collectedand compiled, the consultant presenteda proposed salary schedule for all Townclassifications. In addition toconsidering pay of like positions at themarket 60th percentile, the salaryschedule considered the internalrelationships within the Town’sorganization structure based on therelative importance of the positions.


Chapter Chairperson Telephone Email AddressCentral Coast Rachelle Rickard 805/461-5014 [email protected] Los Angeles Robert S. Ridley 562/801-4395 [email protected] Valley John C. French 209/357-6311 [email protected] Counties Candis Hong 805/449-2241 [email protected] Counties Lucy Foster 805/449-2100 [email protected] Valley Duane Bambusch 760/346-2489 [email protected] Mountain Kevin Smith 760/240-7000 [email protected] Bay (S.F.) Richard Ricci 925/671-5219 [email protected] County Philip Carr 760/337-4550 [email protected] Empire Steve Chapman 909/413-3075 [email protected] Bay Daphne Hodgson 408/646-3947 [email protected] Coast Jim McAdler 707/838-5354 [email protected] Counties Steve Strong 530/225-4087 [email protected] Counties Carolynn Thomas 707/441-4114 [email protected] County Darren Hernandez 562/905-9730 [email protected] Thomas Fil 650/595-7435 [email protected] Valley Barbara Brock 916/645-3314 [email protected] Valley Susan Mahoney 916/725-2448 [email protected] Diego County Suzanne Wellcome 858/755-9354 [email protected] Gabriel Valley Josh Betta 626/403-7250 [email protected] Gabriel Valley Tracey Hause 626/574-5400 [email protected] Bay Gavin Curran 310/524-2315 [email protected] San Joaquin Sandra Montoya 559/713-4423 [email protected]

CSMFO Chapter ChairsChapter Assistant - Amy Johnson, League of California Cities 916/658-8210 or [email protected]

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Thanks to all of those who stopped bythe Committee New MemberReception during the CSMFOConference in San Diego andexpressed interest in serving on theIntergovernmental RelationsCommittee. If you were unable to stopby or were unable to attend theConference but still have interest inserving on the Committee, pleasecontact me at [email protected] or 909/350-6676.

The Intergovernmental RelationsCommittee, along with the League ofCalifornia Cities, will be sponsoring theAnnual Legislative Seminar at theSacramento Convention Center onThursday, May 30, 2002, from 10:00a.m. to 2:00 p.m. With that being said,if there are specific areas of discussionyou would like covered, please forwardany suggestions to either FrancesMedema or me. Frances can bereached at 916/658-8218 [email protected]. Thanks for allof your support.

IntergovernmentalRelationsCommitteeGary Nordquist, ChairCity of Fontana The Institute for Local Self Government

(ILSG) has just released The FiscalCondition of California Cities 2001Report. Based on a survey sent in mid-2001, the report summarizes theresponses from 276 cities on local fiscalprojections for 2002. Even though thecurrent budget crisis was not yet anissue at that time, cities were alreadypessimistic about economic trends forthe future.

The report summarizes several fiscalissues that concern cities. The impactof Educational Revenue AugmentationFund (ERAF) and unfunded statemandates continue to place a strain onthe ability of local government to meetcommunity needs. Cities of all sizes inall areas of California consistently reportthe significant role sales tax plays inlocal city revenues. The report alsosummarizes city service budget trendsprojected by cities.

Since the report compares resultsregionally and by city size, theinformation will be useful tool forfinance officials as they prepare mid-year and 2002-03 budget reports. TheFiscal Condition of California Cities2001 Report was mailed to citymanagers of all cities and to financedirectors of cities that completed thesurvey. A copy of the report may befound on the ILSG websitewww.ilsg.org. Hard copies of thereport are available for $20 and maybe ordered by using the order form onthe website or by calling the Leaguepublication office at 916/658-8257.

City FiscalCondition Report2001

We have confirmed that the April 29th- May 1st GASB 34 workshop will beheld in the City of La Mirada ResourceCenter at 13710 La Mirada Boulevard.The building is located in the CivicCenter behind the City Hall building.

As attendance is limited to 100 people,we recommend that you register asquickly as possible. Please rememberthat we now accept credit cardpayments. To pay by credit card,simply fill out your registration form andfax it to Amy Johnson at 916/658-8240.If you are paying by check, please donot fax in your registration form, butsend it in with your check, as we willnot be able to reserve your spot withoutpayment.

Attached to this newsletter you will findthe flier and registration form for theApril/May workshop. Should you haveany questions, please feel free tocontact Amy Johnson at 916/658-8210or [email protected].

We look forward to seeing you in LaMirada!

April/May GASB 34Workshop in LaMirada

CSMFOMiniNews

1400 K Street, Suite 400Sacramento, CA 95814

Contact: Amy JohnsonPhone: 916/658-8210

Fax: 916/658-8240E-mail: [email protected]

Website: www.csmfo.org

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Northwest CountiesCarolynn Thomas, Chapter Chair

Ass’t Finance Director, City of Eureka

Date: Tuesday, March 26, 2002Time: Noon to 1:30 p.m.Place: Red Lion Inn, 1929 4th Street,

Eureka – R. J. Grins roomTopic: “INVESTING IN A LOW-

INTEREST MARKET”Kay Chandler, CharteredFinancial Analyst, Owner ofChandler Asset Management,Inc. will provide insights on howto maximize interest earnings intoday’s economic climate. Herpresentation will target thoseinvestments appropriate togovernmental agencies andspecial districts.

Cost: $20.00 per person (includes roomrental fee). Make checks payableto City of Eureka. Reservationsnot cancelled by March 20, 2002will be billed to your agency.

RSVP: Contact Carolynn Thomas, Cityof Eureka, 707/441-4114 [email protected].

Coachella ValleyDuane Bambusch, Chapter ChairAccountant, City of Indian Wells

Date: Monday, March 18, 2002Time: 12:00 to 1:30 p.m.Place: The top of the Palm Springs Aerial

Tramway1 Tramway Road, Palm Springs.

Spkr: Mr. Clarence Allen, PERS ProgramSpecialist.

Topic: 2.5%, 2.7%, 3.0% retirement optionsCost: $15.00 per person. The Tramway

ride is complements of Palm SpringsAerial Tramway, Rob Parkins,General Manager. Those attendingshould be at the base station of thetramway by 11:30 a.m.

Menu: Lunch will consist of your choice ofeither Prime Rib or Chicken.

RVSP: By Monday, March 11, 2002, toMaureen Fox at (760) 323-8229.

San Gabriel ValleyJosh Betta, Chapter Co-Chair

Finance Director, City of S. PasadenaTracey Hause, Chapter Co-ChairAdmin. Svcs. Dir., City of Arcadia

Date: Wednesday, March 20, 2002Time: 11:15-11:30 am - Registration

11:30 am-12:15 pm - Presentation12:15-1:00 pm - Lunch

Place: Four Points Sheraton Hotel(formerly the Wyndham GardenHotel)700 West Huntington DriveMonrovia, CA 91016Phone: 626/357-5211

Spkr: Tim Schafer, Principal - Fieldman,Rolapp & Associates

Topic: “Six Steps to Creating a GoodCapital Improvement Plan.” Thisis Tim’s public debut of a recentarticle he authored on this subject.Tim always is an entertainingspeaker; please join us.

Menu: The Fajita Grill Lunch BuffetCost: $25.00 per person, payable at the

door (Make checks payable to theCity of Arcadia).

RSVP: Contact Kelley Williams, City ofArcadia, at 626/574-5465 [email protected] by5:00 pm on Thursday, March 7th,2002 (no-shows may be billed).

San Diego CountySuzanne Wellcome, Chapter ChairFinance Dir./Treasurer, City of Del Mar

Date: Thursday, March 14, 2002Time: 11:30 for mingling and 12:00 for lunchPlace: Del Mar Hilton

15575 Jimmy Durante Blvd.,Ballroom CDel Mar (Via de la Valle exit off I-5)

Spkr: Carl Moerbe of Morgan Keegan.Topic: “How to Stay Dry in a Stormy

Market: Interest Rate Sensitivity andEffective Investment Management.”This presentation offers practicalguidance in the application ofportfolio management strategiesemphasizing how to measure,monitor and control interest ratesensitivity.

Menu: Your choice of Chicken Ancho orCobb Salad.

Cost: $25 for members, $30 for commercialmembers.

RSVP: Contact Jay Lipscomb at 858/755-9354 for reservations.

Central ValleyJohn French, Chapter Chair

Admin. Svcs. Dir., City of Atwater

Date: Thursday, March 21, 2002Time: 12:00 noonPlace: The historic Bloss House

MuseumAtwater, CA.

RSVP: Contact John French, City ofMerced, at 209/357-6311 for moreinformation.

Chapter Meetings

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Related OrganizationsGFOA Annual Conference

June 16-19, 2002Denver, CO

www.gfoa.org

MARK YOURCALENDARS

Annual LegislativeSeminar

May 30, 2002Sacramento Convention Center

Sacramento, CA

GASB 34 TrainingApril 29 - May 1, 2002La Mirada Civic Center

La Mirada, CA(registration form attached)

June 24 - 26, 2002Central Coast

October 14 - 16, 2002Northern California

Please visit www.csmfo.orgfor more information.

The consultant’s final report waspresented in September 2001, tenmonths after the start of the study.

The class and comp studyrecommended a number of changes.As a first step, the Town Counciladopted the proposed organizationstructure. Secondly, the class and compadjustments became key discussionpoints in our labor negotiations and, witha few minor modifications, wereratified.

I hope it will be a while before I tackleanother class and comp study.However, I learned a few lessons thatI think will make it easier the next time:

¨ Prior to starting a class and compstudy, learn as much about theprocess as possible in order toresolve problems promptly duringthe study.

¨ Forewarn all employees that thestudy requires a significant amountof time, effort and patience oneveryone’s part, both to prepareinformation and to review results.

¨ A class and comp study is asnapshot at a point in time.Timeliness is critical and employeesneed to complete work assignmentson schedule. Keep the pressure on

to complete the study in a timelymanner.

¨ Expect the unexpected and avoidcreating false expectations.

¨ Focus on the accuracy of details aswell as on the big picture. Take careto assure labor market comparisonsare appropriate and accurate.

¨ Don’t leave issues hanging and befirm with final determinations.Communicate results clearly anddirectly to employees who areadversely affected by the study.

¨ The preparation and collection ofsalary information takes months, butthe final compilation of the resultshappens quickly. Determine aheadof time whether employees will beinvolved in the final review beforethe results are released. For obviousreasons, many of the most sensitiveissues in the study arise from thecompensation results.

In our recent labor negotiations, theTown agreed to further study specificcontroversial issues in the class andcomp results. The Town Manager willmake the final decision on any revisions.

If you have any questions about theWindsor class and comp study, I’d behappy to discuss it with you.

Chapter Corner: North Coast (cont’d from page 3)

Try the Website Search Engine

Most CSMFO members haveestablished their daily connection to ourstatewide organization through activeor passive participation in the sharedemail service. This fact has, in itself,created a powerful information

CSMFO Technology TipJosh Betta, South Pasadena & Linda Downing, Marina - CSMFO Technology Committee

revolution on our desktops. Little doubtabout that.

You may be less familiar with the powerof our website search engine to createaccess to the latest information. Oursearch engine allows you to search thevirtual library of policy documents and

finance housed in the “ResourceRoom” and the newly-created email“Survey Results” link on the website.

Log on to www.csmfo.org and givethe search engine a try next time youneed an informative hand.

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2002 CSMFO CAFR Award Winners

AlamedaAlhambraAmerican CanyonAnaheimAntiochApple ValleyBakersfieldBellBellflowerBerkeleyBeverly HillsBreaBrisbaneBuelltonBurbankBurlingameCalabasasCamarilloCampbellCapitolaCarlsbadCeresCerritosChinoChula VistaClaremontCommerceConcordCoronadoCosta MesaCypressDaly CityDanvilleDiamond BarDinubaDublinEl CajonEl CerritoEl MonteEl Paso de Robles

El SegundoEscondidoFairfieldFolsomFontanaFoster CityFremontFullertonGaltGarden GroveGardenaGlendoraHawthorneHaywardHealdsburgHermosa BeachHighlandHillsboroughIndian WellsIrvineLa Canada FlintridgeLa PalmaLa PuenteLa QuintaLa VerneLaguna HillsLaguna NiguelLake ElsinoreLake ForestLakewoodLancasterLathropLivermoreLodiLong BeachLos AlamitosLos GatosMantecaMenlo ParkMerced

MillbraeMilpitasMission ViejoMonroviaMontebelloMonterey ParkMorgan HillMountain ViewMurrietaNewarkNewport BeachOakleyOntarioOrangePalmdalePalm DesertPalm SpringsPalo AltoParamountPasadenaPico RiveraPinolePlacentiaPleasant HillPowayRancho CucamongaRancho MirageRancho Palos VerdesRancho Santa MargaritaRedondo BeachRedwood CityRohnert ParkRolling Hills EstatesRosemeadSan BuenaventuraSan CarlosSan DiegoSan FernandoSan GabrielSan Jose

San Luis ObispoSan MarcosSan MateoSan PabloSanta AnaSanta BarbaraSanta ClaraSanta ClaritaSanta Fe SpringsSanta MariaSanta MonicaSanta RosaSanteeSaratogaScotts ValleySeal BeachShafterSolana BeachSouth PasadenaStantonStocktonSuisun CitySunnyvaleTemeculaThousand OaksTorranceTracyTulareTustinVacavilleVistaWalnutWest SacramentoWestminsterWoodlandYorba LindaYountvilleYuba CityYucca Valley

Fiscal Year 2000-2001Awards for Outstanding Financial Reporting

(First-Time Winners are Highlighted)

Special Districts

Elk Grove Community Services DistrictFairfield-Suisun Sewer DistrictInland Empire Utilities DistrictLake Arrowhead Community Svcs DistrictLas Virgenes Municipal Water DistrictLong Beach Transit

Mesa Consolidated Water DistrictOrange County Fire AuthorityOrange County Sanitation DistrictOrange County Transportation AuthorityOrange County Water DistrictSan Diego County Water Authority

Santa Clara Valley Water DistrictSouth Tahoe Public Utility DistrictTriunfo Sanitation DistrictUnion Sanitary DistrictValley Center Municipal Water DistrictVentura Regional Sanitation District

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2002 CSMFO Budget Award WinnersAwards for Excellence in Budgeting Fiscal Year 2001-2002 Budget

(First-time winners are highlighted)

Innovation in Budgeting - MeritoriousPalo Alto San Diego

Innovation in Budgeting - ExcellenceNo awards given in this category this year.

Public Communications – MeritoriousFontanaFountain Valley

Long BeachManhattan Beach

Mountain ViewPadre Dam MWD

Capital Budget – ExcellenceBurbankCampbellConcordDaly City

El CajonEmeryvilleFontana

Los GatosManhattan BeachMuriettaPadre Dam MWD

San DiegoSanta ClaraTemecula

Operating Budget - Meritorious

BellHermosa BeachInland Empire Utilities Agency

OakdaleOrange County Fire Auth.Palo Alto

Pismo BeachSanta ClaritaSelma

Simi ValleyWasco

Operating Budget - ExcellenceMilpitasMission ViejoModestoMonroviaMontereyMonterey ParkMorgan HillMorro BayMountain ViewMurrietaNovatoOntarioOrovillePadre Dam MWDPalmdalePalo AltoPleasantonRancho MirageRedding

Redondo BeachRosevilleSan ClementeSan DiegoSan Diego County Water

AuthoritySan JoseSan Luis ObispoSanta AnaSanta ClaraSanta Clara Valley WaterDistrictSt. HelenaStantonTemeculaTracyValley Center MWDWatsonvilleYuba City

Central Coast Water AuthorityAntiochArroyo GrandeBurbankCalabasasCamarilloCampbellCarlsbadCarpinteriaCeresChula VistaConcordCosta MesaCulver CityCupertinoDavisDel MarDinubaEl Cajon

Encinitas, Cardiff San. Dist.& San Dieguito WaterDist.

EurekaFairfieldGardenaGlendaleGlendoraHalf Moon BayHaywardHighlandHillsboroughIrvineLancasterLas Virgenes MWDLodiLong BeachLoomisManhattan Beach

Public Communications - ExcellenceCamarillo (2 awards)Carlsbad

Costa MesaEl Cajon

Monterey ParkPalo Alto (2 awards)

San DiegoSanta Rosa

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Up the Ladder

(continued on next page)

ACCOUNTING MANAGER - City ofSacramento, CA. The City of Sacramento,California’s Capitol community, is seekingan Accounting Manager. A full-servicecity serving a population of over 400,000,Sacramento has a FY01-02 annual budgetof $834 million and 4,556 full-timeemployees. Reporting to the Director, theAccounting Manager is one of five divisionmanagers in a newly formed FinanceDepartment. The Manager is responsiblefor monitoring all disbursements andmaintaining the financial records for allprograms of the City and its related jointpowers agencies; safeguarding City assetsthrough the development & managementof internal control systems; managingfinancial and compliance audits; andpreparing related reports. Divisionresources include 25 professional andsupport staff. The ideal candidate will be aprogressive leader able to collaborate andbuild consensus effectively with City staff.Candidates must be experienced localgovernment accounting/financeprofessionals with excellent technical,people, organizational and supervisoryskills, as well as experience with mainframeaccounting systems. A Bachelor’s degreein finance, accounting or related field isrequired; possession of CPA or relatedprofessional accounting credentials, or aMaster’s degree is desirable. For moreinformation about the City see its web siteat www.cityofsacramento.org. The currentannual salary range for the position is$53,120 - $81,622. The City is concluding amajor compensation study for managementpositions within the organization that mayincrease this salary range. The City alsooffers an attractive management benefitpackage. To be considered for thisexceptional career opportunity, submit yourresume and cover letter with three work-related references and current salary byFriday, March 8, 2002 to: SHANNONASSOCIATES, 740 University Avenue,Suite 130, Sacramento, CA 95825; Phone:916 567-4280; Fax: 916 567-1220; Email:[email protected]; Web site:www.shannonassoc.com.

ACCOUNTANT II - City of Rialto, CA.Salary up to $3,787/mo. DOQ. Performsprof acct duties, budget, & grant accts.Req.’s equiv. to BA degree in related field& 2 yrs of prof. accting exper. DEADLINE:03/14/02 or until sufficient number of apps

rec. Contact for app: City of Rialto, 150 S.Palm Ave., Rialto, CA 92376. (909) 820-2540.EOE.

AUDIT & COMPLIANCE OFFICER. Joina great team of professionals in North SanDiego County who can walk to the beachfor lunch! North County Transit District isseeking an Audit & Compliance Officerwith a salary of $60,216-$90,293 (DOE) tobe responsible for ensuring the effectiveand efficient internal auditing andappropriate compliance with relevant local,State and Federal regulations and laws.Conducts financial, compliance andoperational audits on departments,programs (including grants), proceduresand systems Bachelor’s Degree inBusiness, Accounting, or related field; anda minimum of seven (7) years financial andauditing experience (governmentalpreferred). Supervisory experiencerequired. Certified Public Accountant(CPA), Certified Management Accountant(CMA), Certified Internal Auditor (CIA)preferred. Valid Drivers License required.Please call (760) 967-2828 for a detailed jobannouncement and application package orvisit us on the web at “gonctd.com”. Initialscreening of applications is Friday, March1, 2002. NCTD is an Equal EmploymentOpportunity Employer.

ASSISTANT CONTROLLER. Join a greatteam of professionals in North San DiegoCounty who can walk to the beach forlunch! North County Transit District isseeking an Assistant Controller with asalary of $46,342-$69,472 (DOE) to beresponsible for ensuring the accuracy ofthe District’s journal entries and generalledger; and to be knowledgeable ofaccounting principles, internal controlpractices and local, State and Federal lawsand regulations relating to finance andaccounting. Bachelor’s Degree inaccounting or related field; and a minimumof seven (7) years of accounting experience,including supervisory experience. CertifiedPublic Accountant (CPA) or CertifiedManagement Accountant (CMA)preferred. Valid Drivers License required.Please call (760) 967-2828 for a detailed jobannouncement and application package orvisit us on the web at “gonctd.com”. Initialscreening of applications is Friday, March1, 2002. NCTD is an Equal EmploymentOpportunity Employer.

DEPUTY FINANCE DIRECTOR. $6546-$7890. The Coachella Valley Water District,a large water agency near Palm Springs,CA, is seeking a Deputy FinanceDepartment Director. Under direction fromthe Finance Director, assists in the day-to-day operation of the Finance Department.Performs a variety of specialized financialwork related to the accounting, budgeting,taxing, and utility billing functions of theDistrict. Requires Bachelor’s Degree froman accredited college or university withmajor course work in accounting or aclosely related field. Five years ofprogressively responsible experience inaccounting, a portion of which involvedsupervising other professional staff isrequired. Experience in governmentalaccounting is highly desirable. Please sendyour resume to Coachella Valley WaterDistrict, P.O. Box 1058, Coachella, CA 92236,(760) 398-2661, ext. 103, fax: (760) 398-3711.EOE. Deadline for accepting applications:March 15, 2002.

FINANCIAL/BUDGET ANALYST III -Financial Management Division -Community Development Commission,County of Los Angeles (Monterey Park),CA. $4331- $5846/mo. Responsible foradministrative, budgetary, and financialanalyses, and assistance in internal controlfunctions. BS in Accounting or Finance.Five years professional staff experience inprogram evaluation and accounting.Requires knowledge of accounting,budgeting, fund accounting, andautomated financial systems. Job # 02-10D. Closes 3/8/02. Contact CommunityDevelopment Commission, 2 Coral Circle,Monterey Park, CA 91755; Jobline (323) 890-7326; TTD/TTY (323) 890-8583 for requiredapplication materials. EOE. www.lacdc.org.

FINANCE SUPERVISOR – City of SantaBarbara, CA. Salary: $49,012 - $59,575 plusexcellent benefits. Position reports to theTreasury Manager and supervises six staff.Position is responsible for the collectionand recording of cash receipts, issuanceof City licenses and permits, and billing ofvarious taxes and assessments. The idealcandidate would have four years ofincreasingly responsible governmentalexperience including one year ofsupervisory or lead responsibility and a

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President’s Message (cont’d from page 2)

Bachelor’s degree with a concentration inaccounting, business or related field.Applications and supplementalquestionnaires must be submitted by 5:00p.m. on March 18, 2002. For information,contact (805) 564-5316 or www.ci.santa-barbara.ca.us.

ACCOUNTANT – City of Patterson, CA.Salary $2,955 - $3592/mo plus excellentbenefits. Perform professional accountingwork, including bank reconciliations,prepare Budget Variance Reports todepartments, assist in preparation of theAnnual Budget, maintain journals andGeneral Ledger, perform analytical analysis;prepare detail reports, as well as otherduties as assigned by the Finance Director.Requires a Bachelor’s degree in accountingor finance, with knowledge of principlesand procedures of accounting, GAAP, andGASB. Knowledge in the use ofcomputerized accounting systems, MSExcel, and Word required. Two yearsexperience in a public agency and fundaccounting is preferred. APPLY BY: 5:00pm, Friday, March 22, 2002. Submit a Cityapplication and resume to: City ofPatterson, P.O. Box 667, Patterson, CA95363. Request for applications can besubmitted online at [email protected] by contacting the City Clerk at (209) 892-2041, ext. 109. EOE

ASSISTANT FINANCE DIRECTOR/CONTROLLER - South Pasadena, CA(Population 24,820). $4,177 - $5,598 permonth, plus excellent benefits. SouthPasadena is a beautiful, full-service city inthe San Gabriel Valley with a budget of $29million. The City is proud of its high qualityof life and its progressive municipalorganization. The Department is seeking awell-qualified, hands-on individual tomanage all aspects of the City’s accountingoperations and to assist with theadministration and activities of the seven-member department. The accountingoperations and related activities includegeneral ledger, budget, grantsadministration, payroll, accounts payableand receivable, water utility, purchasing,treasury management, business and petlicensing, purchasing, and annual audit andreporting functions. Join a spirited Finance

As we have experienced over the past25 years, the upcoming year will againpresent challenges for all of us. Thepossibility of revenue takeaways, eitherthis year or over the next two years,encourages us to sharpen our pencils andagain put on our creative thinking capsto look for better, less expensive waysto provide services to our constituents.CSMFO continues to be committed toproviding excellent, proven and costeffective training to its members and nextyear will be no exception.

Goals for 2002. The goals for this yearcan be divided into four areas:Membership Involvement, Advocacy,Special Districts, and Training andCareer Development.

1. The first goal is to increasemembership involvement inCSMFO by educating themembership about the roles ofcommittees and the Board and bysoliciting assistance in these areasby all who are interested. To thatend, a well-attended specialmeeting was held at theconference to share informationabout the board and committees.In the year ahead, we will identifythe impediments to voluntaryparticipation and educate andwork with chapter chairs toencourage more participation inCSMFO at the board andcommittee level.

2. The second goal is to be anadvocate on financial issues. Atask force was appointed and willbe developing an advocacy policyfor Board review and adoption.

3. The third goal is to confirm theinvolvement of Special Districts(which received an affirmativevote by the membership) and toclarify the needs and concerns of

Special Districts. A specialmeeting was held for specialdistrict conference attendees todiscuss their needs and it was wellattended. Eldon Boone, theSpecial District Liaison, will beproviding information to the Boardfor review.

4. The fourth goal is to continue toprovide training and careerdevelopment through relevant,cost effective trainingopportunities for all members.This includes the WeekendSeminar, Annual Conference,Coaching Program, CFOProgram, IntermediateGovernment Accounting, andBeginning GovernmentAccounting. In addition, CSMFOwill continue to provide GASBtraining as well as to identify andfacilitate opportunities formembers to access non-technicaltraining. The last piece of thistraining block will includeeducating and informing memberson performance measurementefforts and issues.

As you can see, we again have a veryambitious schedule ahead of us. Wehave set some major goals for the comingyear, but I am very confident that, withthe excellent resources we have in ourorganization, they will all beaccomplished. I look forward to aproductive, exciting, and enjoyable yearahead. In conclusion, I would like tothank all of you who volunteer your timeto CSMFO, whether you are BoardMembers, Committee Members, ChapterChairs or serve on the AnnualConference Host Committee. It is yourtireless commitment to the organizationthat allows the CSMFO to be sosuccessful. Thank you for entrustingme with the leadership of CSMFO in thecoming year.

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Professional Services Directory


Director in a smaller municipal organizationwhere your work and initiative will make adifference in the lives of others. For moreinformation, call the Personnel Dept. at (626)403-7210. Applications are available on theCity’s website at www.ci.south-pasadena.ca.us or by calling the job hotlineat (626) 403-7219. Please submit resume,cover letter, and City application to:Personnel Department, 1414 MissionStreet, South Pasadena, CA 91030. FilingDeadline: April 25, 2002. EOE.

DIRECTOR OF FISCAL SERVICES - Cityof Santa Fe Springs, CA. Under generaldirection of the Director of Finance andAdministrative Services, this position isresponsible for supervising theaccountant, account clerks, and the generalclerical staff as related to the fiscaloperations of the City and its relatedentities. Fiscal operations encompassaccounting, accounts payable/receivable,water utility billing, payroll, businesslicense and purchasing operations, andpreparation of monthly and annual financialreports for federal, state and localrequirements. This position functions asthe City=s budget officer and acts as theAssistant Treasurer. Considerableknowledge of principles and practices ofgovernment accounting and budgeting isrequired. This is a management levelposition and is part of the City= sManagement Team. A Bachelor=s Degreewith major course work in accounting and5 yrs. experience are required; a Master=sDegree or CPA Certificate is desirable.Salary range is $5348-6624/month, plusexcellent benefit package. ContactPersonnel Services at 562/868-0511 forapplication and supplementalquestionnaire, or the City= s website:www.santafesprings.org. Apply by 4:00p.m., Friday, March 22, 2002.

FINANCIAL ANALYST - Concord, CA.Starting Annual Salary up to $79,520 andan employer paid deferred compensationcontribution of 3% of annual salary. Plusrelocation assistance and an opportunityto earn up to 12% in performance basedannual incentives. The Financial Analystwill prepare, coordinate, and monitor theoperating budget for the PoliceDepartment, which exceeds $27 Million.This includes administering thedepartment’s Performance Based Budget

system; recommending financial policies,procedures, and corrective actions toaddress budget performance issues; anddeveloping computerized financial reports.This position also controls inventory ofdepartment issued equipment and suppliesand monitors requests for and facilitatesrepair and maintenance of departmentbuilding and/or satellite offices. Worksclosely with the Captain of Administrationand the Chief of Police. If you have a degreein Public or Business Administration,Accounting, or a related field (a Master’sDegree is desirable), have experienceworking with multi-layered budgets andperforming complex analyses andeffectively communicating findings, andwant to join an innovative, leading edge,successful, award winning, municipal

police department, you could be the personwe’re looking for. DEADLINE: 03/26/02.Supplemental Questionnaire Required. Toapply, visit www.ci.concord.ca.us, [email protected], or call the JobHotline at (925) 671-3151. EOE

SENIOR ACCOUNTANT - City of SanMateo, CA. $5,387-$6,425/mo. Advancedjourney level classification in the financedepartment that requires high technical &people skills. 4 yrs of recent, progressivelyresponsible experience in the field ofprofessional/government accounting.Equiv to BA in Accounting or BusinessAdmin. For application call the Job Hotline(650) 522-7777 x 424 or visit our website atwww.cityofsanmateo.org by closing date3/15/02. EOE

CHANDLER Asset Management, Inc.

Specialists in fixed income portfolio management for local

agencies

Kay Chandler, CFA 9255 Towne Centre Drive, Suite 350

San Diego, CA 92121 (800) 317-4747

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Professional Services Directory (cont’d from previous page)

Provide More ServicesFor Less Money

Procurement ConsultingPurchasing Audits

Inventory/Warehouse Management

Contract NegotiationsService Contracts . Capital Equipment

e-Procurement ManagementWaste Water & Municipal Agency Specialists

Procurement Services 760.607.1208

Documents

MiniNews: March 2002 - CSMFOmedia.csmfo.org/archives/mininews/64.pdf · California Society of Municipal Finance Officers ... Director of Finance/Treasurer, City of Vista March 2002