Reading a job description may be informative, but seeing examples of the work takes it out of the theoretical.
The Fiscal Officer's job, as described by the Ohio Revised Code in the previous post, is to keep accounts according to prescribed accounting principles. It is also, as the trained person at the table on these matters (well, we can hope the voters elected someone with real qualifications--as they did and have continued to do with Marie), it is up to the Fiscal Officer to advise the trustees both generally and specifically.
This post and the next one are examples of the Fiscal Officer's work, stated in letters to the Mantua Township Trustees from Marie Stehli, CPA, Mantua Township Fiscal Officer..
The following letter was read to the Trustees at the January 10, 2013, End-of-Year meeting. It is transcribed in its entirety here.
January 10, 2013
Jason Carlton
John Festa
Victor Grimm
Mantua Township Trustees
Ref:: Year End Financial Report
The year end financial report has been completed and filed with the State Auditor. My financial report can be summarized as follows:
2012 Appropriations $1,492,359.00
2012 Encumbrances $1,183,394.15
2012 Expenditures $857,872.34
2012 Outstanding purchase orders $325,521.81
2012 Receipts $750,586.31
2012 Year End cash balance $605,607.20
The Issue 2 payment has not been posted to the 2012 books.
Please note the following year end balances:
2009 $707,165.80
2010 $832,069.89
2011 $712,893.23
2012 $605,607.20
The cash balances over the past two years have decreased by over $100,000 per year, which is not a good trend. I am particularly concerned with the Gas and Road & Bridge Funds. The Gas Tax fell short of its expected revenue by just under $8000. As a result I am having to reduce the 2013 revenue budget for the Gas Tax fund by $10000. The Road & Bridge Fund was on target for revenues, but expenditures exceeded revenues by about $80,000. This amounts to about 40% of revenues, and cannot continue. The General Fund also decreased by $10,000. On a positive note, the Road Levy increased by $4000, due to the increased Road Levy tax.
The certification has been delivered to the Portage County Auditor and we will be able to adopt a final budget at the January 17 meeting, assuming that the Budget Commission certifies my figures. Please keep the above in mind when we discuss the upcoming budget, and when we discuss upcoming personnel issues.
Marie Stehli
Fiscal Officer
About This Blog
The purpose of this blog is to give an accurate account of what is said during Public Comment at Mantua Township Trustees meetings.
Trustees' decisions are in the official minutes, available on request from the Mantua Township Fiscal Officer, Jodi Thompson, at 330-274-8443. The Township charges 10 cents per page. FAX, 330-274-8447. E-mail, fiscalofficer@mantuatownshipohio.gov. The minutes are also posted on the website after they have been approved. That means that there is usually a two-week lag between a given meeting and the minutes being available to read on the website.
Since meetings are the first and third Thursdays of the month, there is a three-week wait during months with five Thursdays.
Other items of interest or the writer's opinions will be included from time to time, clearly identified.
This is not a forum or chat room, but a source of information, so it is closed to outside input.
During the time I have been doing the blog, the posts have expanded to become very detailed accounts of the meetings. Doing that is time consuming, to say the least, and I am going to try to return to the public comment focus, with background and perspective (and the occasional pointed editorial comment). Such additions are usually enclosed in brackets. However, since some extended accounts of the meetings reveal significant things--and character--better than I could by commenting, there will probably still be a fair amount of semi-transcript. (Sigh.)
My thanks to the readers who have found the blog, and to the ones who from time to time tell me that they value it. You have encouraged me when the tedious work of keyboarding has made me wonder why I am doing this. Then you have reminded me, and I am grateful.
Trustees' decisions are in the official minutes, available on request from the Mantua Township Fiscal Officer, Jodi Thompson, at 330-274-8443. The Township charges 10 cents per page. FAX, 330-274-8447. E-mail, fiscalofficer@mantuatownshipohio.gov. The minutes are also posted on the website after they have been approved. That means that there is usually a two-week lag between a given meeting and the minutes being available to read on the website.
Since meetings are the first and third Thursdays of the month, there is a three-week wait during months with five Thursdays.
Other items of interest or the writer's opinions will be included from time to time, clearly identified.
This is not a forum or chat room, but a source of information, so it is closed to outside input.
During the time I have been doing the blog, the posts have expanded to become very detailed accounts of the meetings. Doing that is time consuming, to say the least, and I am going to try to return to the public comment focus, with background and perspective (and the occasional pointed editorial comment). Such additions are usually enclosed in brackets. However, since some extended accounts of the meetings reveal significant things--and character--better than I could by commenting, there will probably still be a fair amount of semi-transcript. (Sigh.)
My thanks to the readers who have found the blog, and to the ones who from time to time tell me that they value it. You have encouraged me when the tedious work of keyboarding has made me wonder why I am doing this. Then you have reminded me, and I am grateful.
Principles
Two ideas guide and support me:
The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.
______Attributed to Edmund Burke
GOOD PREVAILS.
Those ideas are also the reason I have been doing the blog since late February 2011.
I have discovered that a transcript is almost impossible to do and that verbatim accounts are usually not absolutely necessary. When in doubt, I check against a recording.
The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.
______Attributed to Edmund Burke
GOOD PREVAILS.
Those ideas are also the reason I have been doing the blog since late February 2011.
I have discovered that a transcript is almost impossible to do and that verbatim accounts are usually not absolutely necessary. When in doubt, I check against a recording.
