ASSOCIATION OF INDIANA CONSERVANCY DISTRICTS

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All Units:

 

It appears some units are not completing all the budget forms in Gateway before printing Budget Form 4 and submitting a hard copy do the Department of Local Government Finance (DLGF). In order for the total budget, total property tax levy and total tax rate to appear on Budget Form 4, the adopted column of Budget Forms 1, 4a and 4b must be entered into Gateway.

 

If this is not done, it will appear zero (0) budgets, rates and levies were adopted on budget form 4. The totals must be on budget form 4 before DLGF will approve a budget.

 

Before you submit the budget through Gateway, go through this checklist to avoid common submission mistakes:

·         Did I fill in the adopted columns of Forms 1, 4a, and 4b?

·         Did I put my electronic signature on each form?

·         Did I mark each form “ready to submit”?

·         Has the county council held the non-binding review of my budget?

·         Has my adoption meeting already been held? 

If you answer no to any of these questions, you are not yet ready to submit the forms.

For all taxing units that have submitted an upload file, either through the Department’s budget workshop process or through a financial software vendor, the Department recommends thoroughly reviewing the data that was uploaded to ensure that the data is being displayed correctly on Gateway.

Additionally, be sure that you submit the Form 4 and Proof of Publication. You may do so in a number of ways, however the preferred method of submitting hard copy documents is to upload a file (PDF or picture) to the Gateway website. To access the screen to complete this upload, start from the Unit Main Menu. Click on the link that says “Submit Proof of Publication and Signed Ordinance.” If you are unable to scan the original documents, you may fax them to the Department at (317) 232-8779 to the attention of Ron Stinson. Finally, you may also mail them to the Department at 100 N. Senate Ave., N1058, Indianapolis, IN 46204.

If you have any questions, feel free to e-mail or call me at the numbers below. RS

 

Ron Stinson

Assessor/Auditor

Indiana Department of Local Government Finance

100 N Senate Avenue, Rm N1058-B

Indianapolis, IN 46204

rstinson@dlgf.in.gov

Phone: 317-234-5872

Cell Phone: 317-408-7127

Fax: 317-232-8779

http://www.in.gov/dlgf/

Taxpayer First. Local Control. Excellence.
Red Flag Rules
FTC Preparing to Enforce Red Flag Rules Beginning August 9, 2009
Document
CLICK HERE FOR INFORMATION ON THE RED FLAG RULE

Report to County Treasurer:  The statute requiring that taxing units provide a list of employees each June 1 and December 1 is starting to be enforced for conservancy districts.  
IC 6-1.1-22-14   (b) On or before June 1 and December 1 of each year (or more frequently if the county legislative body adopts an ordinance requiring additional certifications), the disbursing officer for the state, each state educational institution, and every other governmental entity in Indiana that does not provide the information under subsection (a), shall certify the name and address of each person who is employed by the governmental entity to the county treasurer for the county where the employee works. A governmental entity that has an employee who works in more than one (1) county shall certify the information for the employee to the county where the employee has the employee's principal office.

Special District Annual Report (SDAR):  A computerized version is available for download from the State Board of Accounts website.  A copy of Part 1 and Part 3 (all subparts to both sections) is to be mailed to the Indiana Dept. of Local Government Finance.  Also, outstanding debt is to be reported to the DLGF before March 1, 2006 and each year thereafter on a worksheet available from the DLGF.  Complete Form 100-R and mail to the State Board of Accounts.

Check Imaging:   To meet statutory requirements of IC 5-15-6, units of government are required to have a copy of the front and back of the cancelled checks for their records.  If your bank in not returning your actual cancelled checks, make sure you are obtaining a proper "check image."  Just call your bank and request they include both front and back of the check on the check imaging portion of the monthly statement.

Conservancy District Elections:  For the majority of conservancy districts, the election process begins in October.  The legal notice specifying the name of the director whose term expires at the next annual meeting, the area he serves, how nominations are to be made, etc. must be published in the local newspaper between October 24 and November 1.  See IC 14-33-5-3 for more information.  Help with sample forms can be obtained from the Association. 

REMINDER:  Provide IDNR with copies of the final court orders for establishments, district plans, amendments to district plans, addition of areas, and units of work. 

Of concern to board members:  A majority of the board constitutes a quorum.  An action of the board is official, however, only if authorized by a majority of the board at a regular or properly called special meeting.  IC 14-33-5-15

Clarification:  example - if a five member board only has three members present at a meeting (a quorum), all three members must be unanimous to pass an action.


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Board members must meet the following qualifications:
  1. Must be: a) a freeholder of the area of the district for which appointed; orb) an officer or nominee of a corporate freeholder of the area of the district for which appointed  
  1. Be qualified by knowledge and experience in matters pertaining to the development of the district. 
Clarification:  A board member does not have to be a resident [IC 14-33-5-3(a)(3)(B)] but he does have to be a freeholder of the area [IC 14-33-5-1(b)]The number of directors and areas each director represents was determined by the Court Order establishing the district or as amended.


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