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Accounting Polices&Procedures Manual Village of North Palm Beach
Table of Contents
Title Page
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies 4
Accounting Policies 5-6
Basis of Presentation and Fund Types 5
Basis of Accounting 6
Budgetary Accounting 6
Purchasing 7-15
Objective and Department Responsibilities 7
Purchasing Policy 8
Initiating a Purchase 9
Purchasing Procedures,Bids, Contracts,Vendor Selection,etc.. 10-11
Contract Payment Process . 11-12
Purchase Orders 13-14
Emergency Purchases 14-15
Purchasing Cards . 15
Sales Tax Exemption 15
Budget Transfers 16-17
Budget Transfers . 16
Departments/Controlled Divisions. 16
Emergency Transfers 17
Debt 18
Receipt of Goods and Services 19
Acceptance 19
Process for Payment 19
Payment 20-21
Invoices 20
Invoice Retirement 20
Check Requests 20-21
Telephone&Utility Bills 21
Check Signers 21
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Accounting Polices&Procedures Manual Village of North Palm Beach
Surplus and Obsolete Material Equipment 22
Methods of Disposition 22
Procedure for Sale of Surplus Items 22
Fixed Assets Accounting and Recording 23-25
General Definition. 23
Recording and Tagging 23
Recording Land 23
Recording Land Improvements 23
Recording Buildings 24
Recording Building Improvements 24
Recording Construction in Progress 24
Recording Machinery&Equipment 24
Recording Vehicles 24
Recording Infrastructure 24
Capitalization Threshold 24
Deletions 24
Physical Inventory 25
Exception 25
Cash Management 26-27
Transfer of Funds 26
Surety Bond Requirement . 26
Cash Receipts and Deposits 26
Petty Cash 27
Departmental Procedures 28-31
Finance Department 28
Village Clerk 28
Public Safety 28
Public Works 28
Library 28-29
Community Development Department 29
Recreation Department 30
Country Club 30-31
Investments 32-38
Performance Measurements 33
Prudence and Ethical Standards 34
Authorized Investments 34
Maturity and Liquidity Requirements 34-35
Portfolio Composition 35-36
Risk and Diversification 36
Authorized Investment Institutions and Dealers 36
Third Parry Custodial Agreements 36
Master Repurchase Agreement 36
Bid Requirement . 36
Internal Controls . 36-37
Continuing Education 37
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Accounting Polices&Procedures Manual Village of North Palm Beach
Reporting 37
Securities;Disposition 37
Sale of Securities. 37
Policy Considerations 37
Delegation of Authority 38
Inventories 39
Payroll and Personnel Administration 40-41
Personnel Administration 40
New Employees 40-41
Terminations 41
Payroll 41
General Ledger and Financial Reporting 42-45
Chart of Accounts 42
Funds 42
Department Types 42-43
Account Types 43
Journal Entries 43-44
Financial Reporting 44
Analytical Review 44
Annual General Purpose Financial Statements 45
Travel 46-50
Authority to Incur Travel Expense 46
Authority to Incur Supplementary Expense 46-47
Mode of Travel 47-48
Travel Expense Procedure 48-49
Definitions 50
Fund Balance. 51
Fund Type Definitions 51
Fund Balance Reporting in Governmental Funds 52-53
Operational Guidelines 53
Implementation and Review 53
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Accounting Polices&Procedures Manual Village of North Palm Beach
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
HISTORY
The Village of North Palm Beach, Florida ("the Village") was incorporated
in 1956 pursuant to Chapter 31481, Laws of Florida, Extraordinary Session
1956. The Village is located in the northeast portion of Palm Beach County,
Florida. Its municipal area comprises approximately 1,900 acres of land and
1,200 acres of lakes, canals and lagoons. The Village's non-seasonal
population consists of approximately 13,000 residents, which increases
during the winter months to approximately 20,000 people. The Village
operates under the Council Manager form of government and provides the
following services to its residents: public safety, planning and zoning,
sanitation, recreation, library, parks, marinas and a country club. The
Village Council (the `Council") is responsible for legislative and fiscal
control of the Village.
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Accounting Polices&Procedures Manual Village of North Palm Beach
Accounting Policies
Basis of Presentation
The accounts of the Village are organized on the basis of funds and account groups, each of which is
considered a separate accounting entity. The operations of each fund are accounted for with a separate set
of self-balancing accounts that comprise its assets and other debits,liabilities,fund equity and other credits,
revenues, and expenditures or expenses, as appropriate. Government resources are allocated to and
accounted for in individual funds based upon the purposes for which they are to be spent and the means by
which spending activities are controlled. The various funds and account groups are reported by generic
classification within the financial statements as follows:
Governmental Fund Types
General Fund — used to account for all financial resources applicable to the general operations of the
Village government except those required to be accounted for in another fund.
Capital Projects Fund—used to account for resources principally provided by general long-term debt and
used for the acquisition or construction of major capital facilities other than those financed by proprietary
funds.
Special Revenue Fund — used to account for the proceeds of specific revenue sources that are legally
restricted to expenditures for specified purposes.
Proprietary Fund Type
Enterprise Fund—used to account for operations that provided services on a user charge basis to the public
and activities where the periodic measurement of net income is deemed appropriate for capital
maintenance, public policy, management control, accountability or other purposes. Proprietary fund
activities and basis of accounting are similar to those often found in the private sector. The Village's sole
proprietary activity is the operation of a golf and country club.
Fiduciary Fund Types
Trust Funds—used to account for assets held by the Village in a trustee capacity. The pension trust funds
are accounted for in essentially the same manner as proprietary funds since capital maintenance is critical.
Agency Funds —used to account for assets held by the Village. The Village retains no equity interest in
these funds.
Account Groups
Account groups are not funds since they do not reflect available financial resources and related liabilities.
Instead, they are used to establish accounting control and accountability for the Village's general fixed
assets and general long-term debt. The following is a description of the account groups of the Village:
General Fixed Assets Account Group — used to maintain control and cost information for all fixed assets
other than those accounted for in the proprietary fund.
General Long-Term Debt Account Group — used to record outstanding long-term debt other than debt
recorded in the proprietary fund.
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Accounting Polices&Procedures Manual Village of North Palm Beach
Basis of Accounting
Basis of accounting refers to when revenues and expenditures or expenses are recognized in the accounts
and relates to the timing of the measurements made,regardless of the measurement focus applied.
All governmental funds are accounted for using the modified accrual basis of accounting. Their revenues
are recognized in the period in which they become susceptible to accrual, i.e., when they become
measurable and available to pay liabilities of the current period. Ad valorem taxes and charges for services
are susceptible to accrual when collected in the current year or within 60 days subsequent to year-end,
provided that amounts received pertain to billings through the fiscal year just ended. Intergovernmental
revenues, which include state revenue sharing allotments, local government one-half cent sales tax, and
county shared revenue, among other sources, are recorded in accordance with their legal or contractual
requirements if collected in the current period or within 60 days after year-end. Revenues from
reimbursement grants are recorded in accordance with the grant terms if collected in the current period or
within six months after year-end. Interest is recorded when earned. Licenses and permits, fines and
forfeitures and miscellaneous revenues are recorded as revenues when received in cash because they are
generally not measurable until actually received. Occupational license revenues collected in advance of
periods to which they relate are recorded as deferred revenues.
Expenditures are generally recognized under the modified accrual basis of accounting when the related
fund liability is incurred. Exceptions to this general rule include principal and interest on general long-term
debt which is recognized when due.
The proprietary fund and pension trust funds are accounted for using the accrual basis of accounting. Their
revenues are recognized when earned, and their expenses are recognized when they are incurred.
Membership fees of the proprietary fund that are collected in advance of the period to which they apply are
recorded as deferred revenue.
Budgetary Accounting
State of Florida statures require that all municipal governments establish budgetary systems and approve
balanced annual operating budgets. The Council annually adopts an operating budget and appropriates
funds for the general fund. The Village also adopts a non-appropriated operating budget for the enterprise
fund (Country Club) at the same time it adopts the General Fund Budget. The procedures for establishing
budgetary data are as follows:
In July of each year, the Village Manager submits a proposed operating budget to the Council for
the next fiscal year commencing the following October I't. The proposed budget includes
expenditures and the means of financing them.
During the third week of July,the Council holds public meetings to obtain taxpayer comments.
Upon completion of the public hearings and prior to October 1, a final operating budget is legally
enacted through the passage of an ordinance. Estimated beginning fund balances are considered in
the budgetary process.
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Accounting Polices&Procedures Manual Village of North Palm Beach
Purchasing
Objective
The primary objective of the Village's purchasing operation is to maximize the value of the dollar spent.
All Village departments are responsible for accomplishing this objective by planning for future purchase
needs and completing them in an economical manner.
Responsibilities of Finance Department
- Maintain an up to date vendor list.
- Process purchase requisitions.
- Prepare and issue purchase orders.
- Pay vendor invoices.
Responsibilities of Village Clerk
- Maintaining bid files.
Responsibilities of Operating Departments
- Obtain prices on comparable items.
- Search for new sources of goods and services and provide these vendor names to the Finance
Department.
- Provide complete information on items to be purchased on the purchase requisitions and reference the
budget line item description.
- Provide appropriate documentation with purchase requisitions as required.
- Plan for purchases to minimize emergency purchases.
- Prepare technical specifications.
- Determine if sufficient funds are available in the budgeted line item.
- Attempt to use the Finance Department's vendor list as a minimum for all quote requirements.
Responsibilities of Village Manager
- Advertise forbids.
- Take formal bids.
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Accounting Polices&Procedures Manual Village of North Palm Beach
Purchasing Policy
Determining Purchasing Methods:
a. All purchases that are budgeted to exceed$10,000 on either an annual basis or span across fiscal years
such as a"multi-year"contract:
1. Must be formally advertised in a newspaper of general circulation with the advertisement being no
less than fourteen(14)days prior to the opening of bids.
2. Must be awarded on a sealed bid basis by vote of Village Council.
3. The vendors list will be used as a minimum notification list of available vendors for the purposes
of soliciting bids.
b. All purchases having an estimated costbetween$1,000 and$10,000:
1. Require three(3)quotations. A written quote from each vendor is to be attached to the requisition.
Where a written quote is not available and on approval of the Village Manager, a memorandum
from the Department Head documenting the three (3)verbal quotes is required. No hand-written
quotes will be accepted.
2. Must be budgeted items.
3. Shall be authorized by Department Head,Finance Director,and Village Manager.
c. Purchases having an estimated cost of up to$1,000,unless otherwise described in this manual:
1. Do not require bids or three (3) quotes; however, Department Heads are encouraged to obtain the
most cost-effective price.
2. Must be budgeted items.
3. Shall be authorized by Department Heads.
d. Exceptions — In certain instances exceptions to the above may exist and purchases may be
accomplished using alternate methods:
1. Through the use of the emergency purchase provisions as provided for in the Emergency
Purchases section of this manual.
2. When annual contracts exist,i.e.gas,oil,tires,office supplies,etc.
3. When requirements imposed by federal, state,or county grants provide different regulations.
4. When the Village Manager deems it appropriate to use procedures of more formality than set out
above.
5. When the Village Council waives the purchasing rules and regulations.
e. The purchase of bulk motor and diesel fuel necessary to operate Village vehicles and the purchase of
inventory and goods for resale or distribution to the public shall not be subject to the rules and
regulations set forth herein and may be approved by the Village Manager and/or the Finance Director.
f. The purchase of food and beverage inventory necessary to operate the Village Restaurant shall not be
subject to the rules and regulations set forth herein and shall require Village Manager approval when
the total order being placed exceeds$2,000.
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Accounting Polices&Procedures Manual Village of North Palm Beach
Initiating a Purchase
Purchase Requisition
A purchase requisition must be completed and submitted to the Finance Department with the appropriate
documentation attached. Where equipment is covered by maintenance contracts, requests for service may
be made directly by the respective department. Copies of all approved maintenance agreements shall be
submitted to the Finance Department at the beginning of each fiscal year. An annual purchase order that
shall not exceed one year will be issued,if required by the vendor.
Requisition Preparation
Procedure to process regular requisitions:
a. Print each requisition in duplicate and give the following:
1. Department account number.
2. Date of requisition.
3. Suggested vendor name and address.
4. Village delivery location.
5. Quantity.
6. A complete,detailed description of the item(s)to be purchased along with a budget line reference.
7. Estimated net cost of line items of goods and services.
8. Estimated cost of shipping and handling.
9. Signature of department head which indicates department head's approval of purchase.
b. When necessary, bid documentation, i.e. telephone bids, requests for quotations, etc. should be
attached to the purchase requisition.
c. Purchase requisition originals are to be sent to the Finance Department.
d. Second copy is kept in the requesting department's file.
e. Upon receiving the requisition, Finance will determine the availability of funds in the department's
account. If the funds are available,preparation and processing of the purchase order will be completed
and forwarded to the Village Manager for final authorization.
f. Requisitions over$10,000 will be subject to the bidding process. Once the Village Council awards the
bid to a vendor, the operating department must prepare and forward to the Finance Department the
purchase order requisition along with a copy of the bid documentation and the adopted resolution.
g. The Village's purchasing policy allows management to "piggyback" on other state and local
government contracts for labor and materials, providing those government contracts identify those
specific services or materials required and the government contract is both active and no older than 18
months from the date of the requested purchase. If the "piggyback" provision is to be utilized, the
operating department will obtain a verbal quote from a secondary qualified vendor to verify the "fair
market"value of the item or services sought. If this quote is significantly lower, staff will go through
the normal purchasing/bidding procedures. The verbal quote verification procedure will be indicated as
part of the back-up material for the purchase.
h. In the event the"piggy-back"provision is utilized and a"change" in services, outside the scope of the
government contract is required,that change will be treated as a"change order"in accordance with this
policy.
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Accounting Polices&Procedures Manual Village of North Palm Beach
Purchasing Procedures, Bids, Contracts, Vendor Selection, etc.
Formal Bidding
Formal bids are required for purchases in excess of$10,000.
Writing Specifications
Upon submitting a request for formal bidding,the department should also transmit desired specifications to
be included as a part of the bidding process.
Care should be taken to design specifications so that they are not so narrow as to limit competition
unnecessarily. Department heads have the responsibility for complying with this guideline.
Identifying Suppliers
Operating departments are responsible for maintaining a comprehensive, updated list of suppliers of
various products frequently purchased by that department. It is the Village's policy to award to the lowest
qualified bidder offering merchandise conforming to pre-defined specifications.
Sealed Bid Opening
All sealed bids are to be opened at the exact time, date and place specified in the bid package. A bid
package contains: (1) notice to bidders; (2) complete bid specifications and (3) contract documents, if
appropriate. All bids are to be opened publicly with tabulation being made available to all vendors
participating. Formal bids are to be checked for proper submission of any required bid deposits,bonds,etc.
All sealed bids will be opened by a bid board consisting of the Village Manager, the Department Head
concerned, and the Village Clerk. After evaluation, a recommendation will be made by the Village
Manager for transmittal to the Village Council.
Sole Source Items
"Sole source purchases are the acquisition of goods and services that for all practical purposes can only be
obtained from a single vendor, usually because of limited technology, technological compatibility with
existing systems, goods or services already in use by the Village or other unique qualities of the goods or
services that preclude a competitor's price comparison." All sole source purchases will be documented by
a memo from a Department Head justifying why the purchase is sole source. Every reasonable effort
must be made to locate competitive suppliers. Only the Village Manager may certify an item as sole
source. Approval of sole source purchases over$10,000 is to be made by the Village Council.
Contracts, Retainage, Change Orders, & Payment
a. The Village Manager is authorized to sign contracts on behalf of the Village that involve expenditures
for goods and services that are line items within the Village budget and do not exceed ten thousand
($10,000). Prior to execution of contracts,the Village Manager shall first comply with the purchasing
regulations adopted by the Village Council and have the contracts reviewed by the Village Attorney
for legal sufficiency.
b. Contracts for over$10,000 must be approved by the Village Council.
c. The annual contracts awarded by Palm Beach County,the State of Florida and the Palm Beach County
Cooperative Purchasing Council,and other governmental agencies for labor and materials are accepted
by the Village in accordance with their terms.
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Accounting Polices&Procedures Manual Village of North Palm Beach
d. The American Institute of Architecture, AIA Document G702-1992, Application and Certificate for
Payment, is the form that is completed by the Contractor and Certified by the Architect/Engineer as
part of their payment request. This form shows the Original Contract amount then the progression of
payments previously paid, retainage, current request and balance of contract to complete the Project.
The percentage of retainage is specified in the Agreement that is executed by the Village and the
Contractor. A standard of ten percent(10 1/o)will be used unless adjusted by the Mayor and Council.
Change Orders
A Change Order is a written instrument prepared by the Contractor,certified by the Architect/Engineer and
approved by the Village stating their agreement to the following:
a. Actual change in work required.
b. The dollar amount of the adjustment and its effect on the Contract's Total Sum.
c. The extent of the adjustment and how it will affect the Contract's timeframe.
d. If a lump sum payment is necessary,the request must be properly itemized and supported by sufficient
substantiating data to permit evaluation. All parties involved must mutually accept the adjustment(s)as
presented.
e. Unit prices stated in the Contract Documents or subsequently agreed upon must be mutually acceptable
to all parties in involved.
f. If costs are to be determined,all parties must agree upon a mutually acceptable fixed or percentage fee.
Change Order Process
a. All proposed change orders must be approved by the Village Engineer(if involved in the project),the
Department Head overseeing the project,and the Village Manager.
b. The Village Manager has the authority to approve change orders under$10,000 that are within the
original scope of the project and that do not exceed the original budget line item for the project;
however,the Village Council will be notified of any such change orders for their approval and
ratification at the next scheduled Council Meeting.
c. All change orders in excess of$10,000 must be brought to the Village Council for approval.
d. If exigent circumstances exist requiring immediate action and a delay would adversely impede the
project operationally,the Village Manager can with written documentation,authorize a change order in
excess of the$10,000. The Village Manager will be responsible for immediately reporting this Change
Order at the next scheduled Council Meeting for ratification.
Contract Payment Process
Certificates for Payment
An Architect and/or an Engineer will be engaged on all professionally bid projects which are new or
structurally reengineered.In those instances:
a. The Architect/Engineer will,within seven days after receipt of the Contractor's Application for
Payment,either issue to the Village a Certificate for Payment,with a copy to the Contractor,or notify
the Contractor and the Village in writing of the Architect/Engineer's reasons for withholding
certification in whole or in part.
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Accounting Polices&Procedures Manual Village of North Palm Beach
b. The issuance of a Certificate for Payment will constitute a representation by the Architect/Engineer to
the Owner that the work has progressed to the point indicated and that the quality of the Work is in
accordance with the Contract Documents. It will further constitute a representation that the Contractor
is entitled to payment in the amount certified.
Final Completion& Final Pam
a. Upon receipt of written notice that the work is ready for final inspection and acceptance and upon
receipt of a final Application for Payment,the Architect/Engineer will promptly make such inspection
and,when the Architect/Engineer finds the work acceptable under the Contract Documents and the
Contract fully performed,the Architect/Engineer will promptly issue a final Certificate for Payment.
b. Neither final payment nor any remaining retained percentage shall become due until the Contractor
submits to the Architect/Engineer:
1. an affidavit that payrolls,bills for materials and equipment and other indebtedness connected with
the work have been paid or otherwise satisfied,
2. a certificate evidencing that insurance required by the Contract Documents to remain in force after
final payment is currently in effect and will not be cancelled or allowed to expire until at least 30
days prior to written notice has been given to the Village,
3. a written statement that the Contractor knows of no substantial reason that the insurance will not
be renewable to cover the period required by the Contract Documents,
4. consent of surety,if any,to final payment,
5. if required by the Village,other data establishing payment or satisfaction of obligations.
NOTE: Contractor's application for payment(partial or final)for repairs or maintenance to
"existing" systems and infrastructure can be authorized by the Village Department Head for which
those repairs/maintenance was authorized.
c. Acceptance of final payment by the Contractor,a Subcontractor or material supplier shall constitute a
waiver of claims by that payee except those previously made in writing and identified by that payee as
unsettled at the time of final Application for Payment.
d. The Certificate of Completion and the Application for Final Payment forms must be completed. The
Application for Final Payment requests the release of the retainage and requires the following
signatures:
1. For Projects$10,000 or less,the Director managing the project and the Village Manager will sign
off upon completion of the project.
2. Projects from$10,001 to$100,000—The Director managing the project along with the Director of
Community Development and the Village Manager will sign-off upon completion of the project.
3. Projects exceeding$100,000 requires the same signature authority as item#2 and will be
forwarded to the Mayor and Council for final closeout and release of contractual retainage.
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Accounting Polices&Procedures Manual Village of North Palm Beach
Purchase Orders
Use of Purchase Orders
A purchase order should be used for the purchase of a single item over$1,000 that is not purchased on a
regular basis. This would include all purchases not covered by a blanket purchase order. All purchases that
are budgeted to exceed$10,000 on an annual basis surpass the Village's bid threshold and will be bid prior
to the beginning of the fiscal year. Exceptions are outlined in the Purchase Orders section, as well as in the
Emergency Purchases and Miscellaneous sections.
Procedure for Issuing a Purchase Order
a. All purchase orders will be issued by the Finance Department.
b. All purchase orders will be sequentially numbered.
c. The purchase order is prepared in triplicate.
d. The purchase order is printed giving the following information:
1. Purchase order number.
2. Vendor code number.
3. Vendor name.
4. Vendor address.
5. Vendor contact person.
6. Vendor telephone number.
7. Vendor fax number.
8. Department account number.
9. Requisition number.
10. Date of purchase order.
11. Required delivery date.
12. Terms
13. F.O.B.point
14. Destination shipping point.
15. Quantity ordered.
16. Vendor proprietary stock number(if any).
17. Generic description of goods or services ordered.
18. Unit price.
19. Extension
20. Net total of goods and services ordered.
21. Allowable shipping charges.
22. A box checking an original or confirming purchase order.
23. Signature of responsible Village official.
How Purchase Orders are Processed
a. The original copy is delivered directly to the vendor.
b. The second copy is retained by the Finance Department for account encumbrance and is attached to the
requisition original.
c. The third copy is sent to the Department Head or the requisitioning department.
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Accounting Polices&Procedures Manual Village of North Palm Beach
Cancellation of a Purchase Order
All cancellations of orders must be made by forwarding to the Finance Department the receiving copy of
the purchase order with the word "VOID" printed across the face of said copy. The Department Head
should sign and date all voided purchase orders,as well as provide a brief reason for the void.
Expediting Orders
Once the Finance Department has issued a purchase order, no follow-up work is done on the order by
Finance. It will be the responsibility of the operating department to expedite orders.
Back Orders of Partial Payments
When several items are ordered, the supplier may deliver only a portion of the quantity requested. The
supplier may then advise you that the remainder of the order has been back ordered. The Department Head
should retain the copy of the purchase order until all items are delivered. Should the vendor invoice the
Village for the partial order delivered,the following partial payment procedures should be followed:
a. When the invoice is received, the department head should forward the invoice to the Finance
Department with his or her approval of the partial payment. Notations should be made on the invoice
that the order is "INCOMPLETE" and the purchase order number circled, or noted if it is not
mentioned on the invoice. The Finance Department will use this as authority for partial payment.
Documentation must be sent to the Finance Department indicating which items have been received
before the Finance Department makes the payment on such invoice.
b. The department copy of the purchase order remains in the department until the entire order is filled,
invoiced,or balance canceled.
Blanket Purchase Orders
Blanket purchase orders can be requested from the Finance Department for small, routine daily purchases
for each vendor that the department intends to use frequently during the year. Examples would be office
supplies, hardware store purchases, etc. The blanket purchase order is not to be used for single or large
purchases.
The blanket purchase order must be authorized by the Department Head, and is limited to $2,500 for each
vendor,with no single purchase to exceed$1,000.
Split Purchases (Pyramidin
a. Split purchases,or pyramiding,is defined as issuing more than one purchase order on the same product
with the intent of circumventing these regulations and/or budget limitations within an unreasonably
short time period such that the totals of the purchase orders equal an amount greater than that
authorized by these regulations. Split purchases are prohibited.
Emergency Purchases
General Policy
True emergencies do occur as a result of parts, supplies, and labor needed to repair equipment and facilities
that are needed to provide services for the health, welfare and safety of the public. Anticipating needs in
advance, whenever possible, will hold emergency purchases to a minimum and allow the use of standard
procedures.
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Accounting Polices&Procedures Manual Village of North Palm Beach
Procedure
a. Emergency purchases between $0 to $1,000, mark invoice "EMERGENCY PURCHASE". The
invoice must be submitted to and approved by the Department Head, subject to confirmation by
Village Manager.
b. Emergency purchases of more than $1,000 and up to $10,000, mark invoice "EMERGENCY
PURCHASE", and contact the Village Manager for approval, subject to confirmation by the Village
Council.
c. Emergency purchases over$10,000 are not to be made without the approval of the Village Council.
Purchasing Cards
Recognizing the advent of automated internet supply vendors and the occasional time sensitive
procurements, the utilization of a Village purchasing card is both necessary and required. The Finance
Department shall maintain one purchasing card to be utilized in select cases in accordance with the existing
purchasing regulations. Any department needing to use the purchasing card shall request in writing, to the
Finance Director, the intended use of the card, the amount and the account number(s) to be charged. All
requests must be approved by the department head prior to sending it to the Finance Department. If the
request meets all applicable purchasing regulations and the departmental funds are available, the Finance
department will obligate the Village for the purchase by use of the Village's purchasing card. The
department making the purchasing request shall be responsible for providing invoices (receipts) or other
acceptable documentation to the Finance Department immediately upon receipt. All invoices (receipts)
shall be initialed with the account number(s)to be charged.
Sales Tax Exemption
Village purchases are exempt from Florida sales tax. When making purchases,the vendor will be provided
with the sales tax exemption number.
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Accounting Polices&Procedures Manual Village of North Palm Beach
Budget Transfers
Budget Amendment Ordinance
A budget amendment ordinance is required when a transfer of monies increases/decreases the budgeted
total of the respective fund.
Budget Transfer Requirements
a. Budget transfers from the Council Contingency Account and the Country Club Contingency Account
must be approved by the Village Council.
b. The Village Manager may approve transfers among activity amounts within a department so long as
the amounts of the transfers do not exceed$10,000. However,transfers between departments(and not
merely divisions within a single department) and any change to the total departmental expenses must
be submitted to,and approved by,the Village Council.
Departments/Controlled Divisions
The following are the departments/controlled divisions and are considered for budget transfer purposes:
1. Village Manager: -Village Manager 2. Finance: -Finance
-Village Attorney -General Services
-General Services -Debt Services
-Reserve
-Insurance(Country Club)
-Debt Services(Country Club)
-Reserve(Count Club)
3. Village Clerk: -Village Clerk 4.Recreation: -Recreation
-Village Council -Special Events
-Pool
-Tennis
S.Library: -Library 6.Public Safety: -Law Enforcement
-Fire Rescue
-General Services
7.Public Works: -Administration 8. Country Club: -Administration
-Facilities Maintenance -Golf Course Maintenance
-Sanitation -Golf Shop/Carts/Driving Range
- Street&Ground -Food&Beverage
Maintenance -Clubhouse Grounds
-Vehicle Maintenance
9. Community -Community Planning 10. Information -Information Technology
Development. -Building Technology:
-Code Enforcement
11.Human -Human Resources
Resources:
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Accounting Polices&Procedures Manual Village of North Palm Beach
Emergency Budget Transfer
Emergency Budget Transfer Procedures
Emergency budget transfer procedures for emergency purchases are as follows:
a. Emergency budget transfers up to $10,000 among existing budgeted line items of the existing budget
(regardless of department) require Village Manager approval, subject to confirmation of the Village
Council.
b. Emergency budget transfers over$10,000 require Village Council approval.
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Accounting Polices&Procedures Manual Village of North Palm Beach
Debt Policy
Under the governance and guidance of Federal and State laws and the Village's Charter, Ordinances and
Resolutions, the Village may periodically enter into debt obligations to finance the construction or
acquisition of infrastructure and other assets or to refinance existing debt for the purpose of meeting its
governmental obligation to its residents. It is the Village's desire and direction to assure that such debt
obligations are issued and administered in such fashion as to obtain the best long-term financial advantage
to the Village and its residents.
The Village hereby establishes the following policies concerning debt:
• The Village Charter and the Constitution of the State of Florida do not provide for a legal debt
limit. However, in making or providing of capital improvements, the Village shall not incur a
general obligation debt requiring the full faith and credit and taxing power of the Village that
exceeds five percent(5%)of the property tax base of the Village.
• The Village will analyze the impact of debt service on total annual fixed costs before any long-
term debt is issued.
• Any loan obligation over $500,000 shall require review and comment by the Village's Audit
Committee prior to Council action.
• The Village will not use proceeds from long-term debt for current, on-going operations. Long-
term borrowing will be confined to capital improvements too large to be financed from current
revenues.
• The Village will utilize the form of borrowing that is most cost-effective, including not just
interest expense but all costs, including upfront costs, administrative and legal expenses,
prepayment penalties,and reserve requirements.
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Accounting Polices&Procedures Manual Village of North Palm Beach
Receipt of Goods and Services
Acceptance
a. Department Heads are responsible for inspecting all goods upon receipt to determine that the
quantity and quality of merchandise received meets the specifications of the order.
b. If there is a discrepancy, the Department Head is responsible for informing the vendor and the
Finance Department immediately and documenting the conversation in writing.
c. If quantity and quality conform to purchase order specifications,the Department Head signs off on
the invoice and returns it to the Finance Department for processing.
Process for Payment
a. If the shipment does not complete the purchase order, the Department Head is responsible for
forwarding the invoice with their signature approving payment along with a copy of the purchase
order to the Finance Department.
b. If the shipment completes the purchase order, the Department Head must mark"Close Purchase
Order" on the PINK copy of the PO, sign the invoice approving final payment, and return both of
these copies along with any other pertinent documentation necessary for processing to the Finance
Department. Mark the receiving copy "SHIPMENT COMPLETE RECEIVED" and forward it to
the Finance Department.
c. Forward the vendor packing slip or bill of lading(if any) with the receiving copy to the Finance
Department.
d. Services, as distinct from commodities, rendered must be certified by the Department Head that
the quality meets the specifications of the purchase order before the invoice is paid.
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Accounting Polices&Procedures Manual Village of North Palm Beach
Payment
Invoices
a. Original vendor invoices will be sent directly to the Finance Department.
b. The Finance Department will pay the invoice only if:
1. The invoice has been received by the Finance Department.
2. The Department Head must sign off on the invoice certifying that there has been a satisfactory
delivery of goods or services.
3. Total quantity received per line item is equal or less than quantity ordered. An explanation is
required when discrepancies exist.
4. Unit Price on invoice is the same as unit price on the purchase order. An explanation is
required when discrepancies exist.
5. Extension per line item is correct.
6. Total of line item extensions is reflected by the net total on the invoice.
7. Advantage is taken of all allowable discounts.
8. Funds are available within the department's budget.
Invoice Retirement
a. Check is issued to vendor,signed by the appropriate authorized individual(s).
b. Original invoice is marked"PAID".
c. The "PAID" invoice, any other necessary supporting documentation, and the remittance copy of the
check are attached to the purchase order and filed.
Check Requests
a. Department Head may request checks on prescribed forms for:
1. Travel 6. Donations
2. Training 7. Contributions
3. Subscriptions 8. Contract Labor
4. Reimbursements 9. Independent Contractors
5. Petty Cash 10. Etc.
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Accounting Polices&Procedures Manual Village of North Palm Beach
b. All check requests that are submitted for payment should include supporting documents and are subject
to follow terms and conditions of accounting policies and procedures.
Telephone and Utility Bills
All Village telephone and utility bills are processed through the Finance Department to verify long distance
service usage and to verify proper departmental allocation of utility costs. Any bills received in another
department should be forwarded to the Finance Department. Prior to forwarding telephone bills to Finance,
Department Heads must review and sign off on all charges to be paid.
Check Signers
All checks drawn on any depository of Village funds shall be signed by both the Village Manager and the
Finance Director, or in the absence or inability of the Finance Director and/or the Village Manager to sign
such checks,they shall be signed by the Vice Mayor and/or the Mayor.
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Accounting Polices&Procedures Manual Village of North Palm Beach
Surplus and Obsolete Material and Equipment
Methods of Disposition
a. Surplus, worn out or obsolete material and equipment may be disposed of in any of the following
ways:
1. By transferring to other departments.
2. By returning to the manufacturer or supplier.
3. By trading in on new equipment.
4. By junking.
5. By advertising for sale.
b. Each department shall report its surplus or obsolete stock, equipment or materials to the Finance
Department.
c. All Capital Equipment shall be declared surplus by Village Council before processing as surplus.
Procedure for Sale of Surplus Items
a. If surplus material is sold, it shall be accomplished by the affected department in conformance with
competitive practices.
b. Surplus property may be disposed of by auction. Final approval for sales will be made by the Village
Manager or his designee. Advertisement for such sales will be made in a local newspaper at least one
time,no less than five(5)days prior to sale or auction.
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Fixed Assets Accounting and Recording
The Village follows the capitalization requirements of GASB Statement #34 (Asset Capitalization &
Depreciation Guidance) for its fixed assets.
General Definition
Capital assets include: land, land improvements, buildings, building improvements, construction in
progress, machinery and equipment, vehicles and infrastructure.
Recording and Tagging
Departments will fill out the fixed asset worksheet for all newly acquired assets with the following
information:
a.Description
b.Price
c.Department
d.Location
e.Condition
f.Custodian
g.VIN – Manufacturer – Model – Model Year – License Number
h.Estimated life
i.Vendor, Purchase Order Number, Inventory Number, Inventory Date, Amount
Once information is received a tag number is assigned and information is put into the system. A print out
of the information is run and the tag number is attached to the print out. The print out and tag number are
sent to the Department Head to put the metal asset tag number on the equipment. The copy of the print out
is to be retained by the department until equipment is disposed.
Recording Land
Land is to be capitalized but not depreciated. It is recorded at historical cost and remains at that cost until
disposal. If there is a gain or loss on the sale of land, it is reported as a special item in the statement of
activities.
Recording Land Improvements
Land improvements include items such as excavation and non-infrastructure utility installation; driveways,
sidewalks, parking lots, flagpoles, retaining walls, and fencing, outdoor lighting, and other non-building
improvements intended to make the land ready for its intended purpose. Land improvements can be further
categorized as non-exhaustible and exhaustible.
Non-Exhaustible - Expenditures for improvements that do not require maintenance or
replacement, expenditures to bring land into condition to commence erection of structures,
expenditures for improvements not identified with structures, and expenditures for land
improvements that do not deteriorate with use or passage of time are additions to the cost of land
and are generally not exhaustible and therefore not depreciable.
Exhaustible - Other improvements that are part of a site, such as parking lots, landscaping and
fencing, are usually exhaustible and are therefore depreciable. Depreciation of site improvements
is necessary if the improvement is exhaustible.
Recording Buildings
Buildings should be recorded at either their acquisition cost or construction cost. The cost of new
construction should be carefully evaluated. Usually projects consist of major components such as land, land
improvements, building construction (including professional fees and permits), furniture, fixtures and
equipment. In addition, buildings include components (e.g., roof, air conditioner system, etc.) that should
be recorded separately when significant because these building components have different useful lives. The
value of each component needs to be determined and placed within its own category.
Recording Building Improvements
Building improvements that extend the useful life should be capitalized. Examples of building
improvements include roofing projects, major energy conservation projects, or remodeling and replacing
major building components. Only those projects that meet the capitalization threshold need to be included.
Recording Construction in Progress
Construction in progress should be capitalized and not depreciated. It should be reported with land and
other non-depreciating assets at the government-wide level. Unspent debt proceeds from capital assets
related debt should be reported in the net assets section of the statement of net assets as “restricted for
capital projects.”
Recording Machinery and Equipment
Assets such as furniture, machinery and equipment (that meet threshold levels) should be identified and
inventoried. Some assets, individually, may fall below the capitalization threshold but may be purchased in
large quantities by the Village. Examples include library books, textbooks and computers. The Village
should aggregate such assets and consider the materiality and significance of them and if material or
significant capitalize such items either individually or in the aggregate.
Recording Vehicles
Vehicles should be identified, inventoried, and if applicable depreciated.
Recording Infrastructure
Infrastructure assets are long-lived capital assets that normally can be preserved for a significant greater
number of years than most capital assets and that are normally stationary in nature. Examples include
roads, bridges, tunnels, drainage systems, water systems, and dams. Infrastructure assets do not include
buildings, drives, parking lots or any other examples given above that are incidental to property or access to
the property.
Capitalization Threshold
Capital assets and infrastructure are capitalized and depreciated as outlined in the capitalization threshold
table below:
Capitalization Threshold Table:
Capitalize and Depreciate
Land Capitalize only
Land improvements $25,000
Building $50,000
Building Improvements $50,000
Construction in Progress Capitalize only
Machinery & Equipment $5,000
Vehicle $5,000
Infrastructure $250,000
Deletions
To delete equipment or an asset from asset records the asset worksheet should be filled out for retire date,
disposal code, and sell price.
Physical Inventory
Physical inventory of all fixed assets must be taken annually.
Each department will be responsible for taking an annual physical count of their department’s inventory per
the list provided by the Finance Department. Department Head shall certify the complete physical count,
additions, deletions and changes marked on the list, and reconciliation of all discrepancies.
The Department of Finance will be responsible for keeping up to date listings of all fixed assets.
Exception
Department Heads may request the Finance Department to track and inventory any item less than $5,000.
Accounting Polices&Procedures Manual Village of North Palm Beach
Cash Management
General Policy
The Village's deposits are held in qualified public depositories pursuant to State of Florida Statutes,
Chapter 280, and "Florida Security for Public Deposits Acts". The Village also opts for the investment
policy in compliance with State of Florida statutes chapter 218.415.
Transfer of Funds
The following Village officials are authorized to transfer funds between Village bank accounts on behalf of
the Village:
1. Mayor
2. Vice Mayor
3. Village Manager
4. Finance Director
Surety Bond Requirement
The following Village officials shall each before entering upon the duties of their respective office; give a
good and sufficient Surety Company bond to the Village in the following amount:
1. Village Manager, $200,000
2. Finance Director,$200,000
3. Village Clerk, $ 10,000
4. Country Club Manager or Administrator, $200,000
Cash Receipts and Deposits
All mail, including checks, is received by the Executive Secretary to the Village Manager. The Executive
Secretary then distributes the mail to each department. Each department is responsible for preparing the
deposit and submitting the checks and report to the Finance Department on a daily basis for posting in the
general ledger.
Departments are required to send their deposits to the Finance Department within one business day.
Departments are not allowed to hold any cash and/or checks to be processed at a later date.
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Accounting Polices&Procedures Manual Village of North Palm Beach
Petty Cash
The Village maintains petty cash boxes for regular operations, customer service and incidentals. The
following is the list of departments with Petty Cash:
General Fund Country Club
Public Safety $200 Administration $500
Community Development 400 Driving Range 1,400
Recreation 300 Golf Pro Shop 500
Village Clerk 50 Restaurant 1,600
Human Resources 100
Tennis Shop 300 Total Petty Cash CC $4,000
Pool Shop 100
Library 150
Finance 150
Total Petty Cash-GF
All disbursements from petty cash require appropriate supporting documentation:
1. Payment Amount
2. Payment Date
3. Description of Expenditure
4. Account Number
5. Proper Authorization
The designated employee in the department is responsible for the verification of payments made from the
petty cash accounts,replenishment of the funds and the reconciliation of the account balances on a monthly
basis.
The procedures to reimburse the petty cash funds are as follows:
The designated employees of the department prepares a disbursement form which contains the following
information:
1. Disbursement Date
2. Name of the Payor
3. Description of Disbursement
4. Account Number and Amount
The petty cash supporting documentation is attached to the completed disbursement form. Replenishment
requisitions are reviewed and approved by the Department Head and sent to the Finance Department for
replenishment of the funds.
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Accounting Polices&Procedures Manual Village of North Palm Beach
Departmental Procedures
Finance Department
Payments are received through the mail and via electronic funds transfer(EFT/ACH)from various sources.
Deposit slips are prepared by an Accounting Clerk, and checks are deposited in the bank daily by a courier
(Public Safety Officer). Any payments received during the day,which are not to be deposited in the bank,
are kept in the secured area until the deposit is made.
A daily deposit sheet is prepared listing payments received. These receipts are identified by type and coded
by the Accounting Clerk.
All deposits are posted to the general ledger(cash,revenue or other account as applicable). A copy of any
support documentation is scanned and filed within the customer folder, along with a validated copy of the
deposit slip.
The Finance Director and Finance Manager periodically review the reports and deposit records.
Village Clerk
The Village Clerk's Office receives payments for copies of public records,zoning maps,code supplements,
lien certifications,donations,and code enforcement fines/liens. A receipt is generated for each transaction,
with one copy to the purchaser, one copy to the bank bag, and one copy remains in the receipt book in the
Clerk's office. A bank deposit is prepared as needed by the Administrative Assistant and verified by the
Deputy Village Clerk or Village Clerk. The bank deposit form specifies the total received for each of the
Clerk's revenue line items. The cash, checks, and deposit form are sent to the Finance Department for
processing.
Public Safety
Public Safety receives payments for special details, copies of reports, fingerprinting, new alarms, false
alarms, alarm permit renewals,water restrictions,parking violations, and bicycle registrations. A receipt is
generated for each transaction. A bank deposit is prepared as needed. The bank deposit form specifies the
total received for each of the department's revenue line items. The cash, checks, and deposit form are sent
to the Finance Department for processing.
Public Works
The Public Works Department receives payments for refuse collection, project plans & specification
documents, and vegetation debris ordinance fees. A bank deposit is prepared as needed. The bank deposit
form specifies the total received for each of the department's revenue line items. The cash, checks, and
deposit form are sent to the Finance Department for processing.
Library
The Library receives payments and issues receipts for fines, lost/damaged books, memberships, library
cards, faxes, copies, donations, etc.. A bank deposit is prepared as needed. The bank deposit form
specifies the total received for each of the department's revenue line items. The cash, checks, and deposit
form are sent to the Finance Department for processing.
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Accounting Polices&Procedures Manual Village of North Palm Beach
The Library also collects money for the Friends of the Library. These monies are turned over to the
Treasurer of the Friends at their convenience.
Community Development Department
Building Division
All applications for building permits, business tax receipts, revisions, and contractor and non-domicile
registrations are submitted to the Building Division. Staff verifies the application/registration information
and determines the applicable fee(s). Staff then enters appropriate information into the computer system.
Partial payment is due at the time of submittal. A receipt is issued to customers when fees are received.
State fees, Palm Beach County impact fees and remaining Village fees will be collected upon issuance
when applicable.
Staff distributes the application to the appropriate personnel (e.g. Building Official, Fire Chief, Planner,
etc.) for plan review. After all necessary approvals are completed, the information is updated in the
computer system and the applicant is notified.
Planning and Zoning
Any land use, rezoning, variance, or plat applications are submitted to the Community Development
Director for processing along with all estimated filing fees affiliated with the project. The Planner then
reviews and verifies all information for accuracy and enters the information into the MUNIS software
(which assigns each project a unique project identification number).
The Planner sets up an account with the Finance Department for each assigned project number to track
any/all account receivables and/or payables for that project.
The Planner submits a batch report to Finance with the deposit. Cash, checks and the batch report are
placed in a locked deposit bag and sent to the Finance Department at the end of the day.
Prior to final approval of the project,the project account is reconciled. If the actual costs exceed the project
deposit,the developer is required to pay the balance prior to final approval. If the deposit amount exceeds
the actual cost,the balance is refunded to the applicant.
Code Compliance
Payments received for abandoned property and/or abatement fees are entered into the computer system.
All checks and cash are processed by the Code Compliance Officer as part of their daily deposit procedure.
Code enforcement liens are collected and received and processed by the Village Clerk's Office.
Preparing the Daily Deposit
Prior to the end of their shift each day, each Permit and Licensing Technician, Code Compliance Officer
and Planner generate a batch report from the computer system summarizing all of the day's transactions.
Each individual reconciles their drawer, and prepares the necessary reports for the cash and checks
received. These are submitted to the supervisor for approval. All cash, checks, and batch reports are
placed in a locked deposit bag and sent to the Finance Department at the end of the day.
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Accounting Polices&Procedures Manual Village of North Palm Beach
Recreation Department
Registrations
All registrations are taken at the Anchorage Park Facility. Staff verifies registration information,including
resident/non-resident status. Staff rings all transactions through the RecTrac system. Monies are placed in
a deposit bag and dropped into the safe at the end of the evening. Checks and cash are totaled and
compared to amounts on the Cash Journal that is printed out. Cash, checks, receipts, and cash journal tape
are all placed in a locked deposit bag and sent to the Finance Department.
Tennis Shop
Every sale is entered into the RecTrac POS system and a receipt is given to the customer.
A roster of all members is maintained in the Tennis Shop for reference,although all members should have a
membership card with them.
Closing Procedures are completed by the employee in charge of the cash register.
1. The cash register is closed out at the end of each day.
2. A Cash Journal is printed from the system which summarizes the clerks' monies for the day. The
employee completes the balance sheet indicating the amount of cash and checks received.
3. The money and the Cash Journal are put in a locked deposit bag and stored in the safe until pickup
the neat morning to go to the Finance Department.
Pool Shop
The Pool maintains a daily log-in sheet for members and non-members. The Pool Attendant turns this
sheet in with the cash receipts for the day.
Pool Director Coaches sell merchandise in the shop. This merchandises is NOT Village property,or
Village sales or receipts.
Receipts are generated in triplicate for such purchases of merchandise and are distributed as follows:
White----customer copy
Yellow---coach's copy when charged to a member's account
Pink------remains in the shop
Closing procedures are completed by the employee in charge of the cash register:
1. The cash register is closed out at the end of each day.
2. A Cash Journal is printed and the clerk completes a balance sheet indicating the amount of cash
and checks received.
3. The money and the Cash Journal are turned into the Golf Shop Administration Office and stored
in their safe until pickup the next morning to go to the Finance Department.
Country Club
There are four cash registers on the club premises:
1. Golf Pro Shop(2)
2. Restaurant(2)
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Accounting Polices&Procedures Manual Village of North Palm Beach
The Golf Shop registers produce three tapes,one for the customer,one for the starter,and one for the
Village. The registers at the Restaurant produce two receipts,one for the customer and one for the Village.
All Country Club receipts are forwarded to the Finance Department. Each cash register has its own
specific procedures for closing out the register,which will be described separately below:
Golf Pro Shop
Every sale is entered into the Golftrac POS system and each receipt is generated in triplicate. The receipts
are distributed differently depending on type of purchase:
Green&Cart Fees: Merchandise:
one for the drawer one for the drawer
one for the starter
one for the customer one for the customer
At the end of the day, the cashier completes a balance sheet after reconciling to their individual Cash
Journal. The cashier puts all money,receipts and the Cash Journal in a bank deposit bag which is placed in
a locked night deposit safe and forwarded to the Finance Department the neat morning.
Driving unge
The money is removed daily from ball machines and entered into the GoIl Trac POS system as driving
range sales. The money is deposited with the regular business.
Restaurant
Every sale is entered into the MICROS POS system. Each server is in charge of his/her own"bank."
Closing procedures are as follows:
1. The individual"bank"is closed out at the end of each employee's shift.
2. A Cash Journal is printed out at the end of the employee's shift. The employee balances the
monies being turned in with the Cash Journal.
3. The money and the Cash Journal are turned into the F&B Director to be compiled with the daily
sales and placed in a locked night deposit safe. These items are then forwarded to the Finance
Department the next morning.
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Accounting Polices&Procedures Manual Village of North Palm Beach
Investments
The Village has adopted the Investment Policy pursuant to Florida Statutes chapter 218.415.
Purpose
The Village invests any surplus funds that are in excess of the amounts needed to meet current expenses.
This investment policy places the highest priority on the safety and liquidity of funds.
Scope
This investment policy applies to all the investment activity of the Village, except for its employees'
pension funds,which are organized and administered separately,or for funds related to the issuance of debt
where there are other existing policies or indentures in effect for such funds.
Funds included:
a. General Fund
b. Special Revenue Funds
c. Enterprise Funds
d. Capital Projects Funds
e. Any new funds created by the governing body unless specifically exempt.
Objectives
The primary objectives, in priority of order, of investment activities shall be safety of principal,liquidity of
funds,and maximizing investment income.
1) Safety
Safety of principal is the foremost objective of investment activities. Investments shall be undertaken
in a manner that seeks to insure preservation of capital in the overall portfolio. All other investment
objectives are secondary to the safety of principal. The objective will be to mitigate credit risk and
interest rate risk.
a. Credit Risk-
Credit risk,the risk of loss due to the failure of the security issuer or backer,will be minimized by:
i. Limiting investments to the safest types of securities.
ii. Pre-qualifying the financial institutions, broker/dealers,
intermediaries, and advisers with which the Village will do
business.
iii. Diversifying the investment portfolio so that potential losses on
individual securities will not place an undue financial burden on
the Village.
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Accounting Polices&Procedures Manual Village of North Palm Beach
iv. Monitoring all of the Village's investments to anticipate and
respond appropriately to changing market conditions.
v. Quarterly reporting,in comparative format,of all market values of
invested funds and instruments.
b. Interest Rate Risk-
The Village will minimize the risk that the market value of securities in the portfolio will fall due
to changes in general interest rate by:
i. Structuring the investment portfolio so that the securities mature to
meet cash requirements for ongoing operations, thereby avoiding
the need to sell securities on the open market prior to maturity.
ii. Investing operating funds primarily in short-term securities, money
market mutual funds, or similar investment pools unless it is
anticipated that long-term securities can be held to maturity
without jeopardizing the liquidity requirements.
2)Liquidity
a. General Liquidity: The investment portfolio shall remain sufficiently liquid to meet all operating
requirements that may be reasonably anticipated. This is accomplished by structuring the portfolio
so that the securities mature concurrent with cash needs to meet anticipated demands. Furthermore,
since all possible cash demands cannot be anticipated, the portfolio should consist largely of
securities with active secondary or resale markets. Portions of the portfolio may be placed in
interest-bearing checking/savings accounts with qualified public depositories. Securities and
Exchange Commission registered money market funds with the highest credit quality rating from a
nationally recognized rating agency, or local government investment pools which offer same-day
liquidity for short-term funds.
b. Local Liquidity: The chief financial officer of the village shall establish and maintain a local, liquid
fund in an amount equal to, as a minimum, one-twelfth(1/12) of the designated operating funds in
the annual village budget.
3)Investment Income
Without compromising safety and liquidity, the highest possible total return should be obtained on the
Village's funds. Income will include interest/dividends received as well as any realized or unrealized
gains and losses of principal of the underlying security.
Performance Measurements
In order to assist in the evaluation of the portfolio's performance,the village shall use nationally recognized
benchmarks for the short term and long term portfolios. Performance calculations will not include any
balances invested in overnight sweep accounts.
a. Short term portfolio-
A nationally recognized Money Market Fund Index, such as Standard and Poor's Government
Investment Pool Index/Government will be used as a benchmark.
b. Long term portfolio-
Investment performance of the village portfolio will be compared to the 1-3 year United States
Treasury index or the equivalent composed of U.S. Treasury or Government securities,with duration
and asset mix that approximates the village portfolio.
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Accounting Polices&Procedures Manual Village of North Palm Beach
Prudence and Ethical Standards
1. Prudence
The standard of prudence to be used shall be the"prudent person rule",which states that:
Investments should be made with judgment and care, under circumstances then prevailing, which
persons of prudence, discretion, and intelligence exercise in the management of their own affairs,
not for speculation,but for the investment, considering the probable safety of their capital as well
as the probable income to be derived from the investment.
The Chief Financial Officer, or other persons performing the investment functions, acting in
accordance with written policies and procedures, and exercising due diligence shall be relieved of
personal responsibility for an individual security's credit risk or market price changes, provided
deviations from expectations are reported immediately and that appropriate action is take to control
adverse developments.
2. Ethical Standards
Officers and employees involved in the investment process shall refrain from personal business
activity that could conflict with the proper execution and management of the investment program, or
that could impair their ability to make impartial decisions. Employees and investment officials shall
disclose any material interest in financial institutions with which they conduct business. They shall
further disclose any personal financial/investment positions that could be related to the performance of
the investment portfolio. Employees and officers shall refrain from undertaking personal investment
transactions with the same individual with whom business is conducted on behalf of the Village.
Authorized Investments and Pre-qualification
The Village may invest and reinvest, in accordance within the objectives stated in subsection (c), in the
financial instruments noted in the table inset below. When considering such investments, the village shall
use the following pre-qualification parameters for specific institutions:
a. Banks: The Village shall only select a QPD (Qualified Public Depository) with a
collateral pledge level of 25% or 50% as established by the State Chief Financial
Officer pursuant to Section 280.04,Florida Statutes.
b. SEC registered money/market mutual funds:
S&P: AAA Minimum
Moody's:AAA Minimum
Insurance companies: A.M.Best Rating:Minimum aaa
c. Corporate interest notes:
S&P: AAA Minimum
Moody's:AAA Minimum
d. Local government investment pools: All components in each pool must satisfy the
appropriate pre-qualification parameters noted for that institution.
Maturity and Liquidity Requirements
The Village's investment portfolio shall be structured to provide sufficient liquidity to pay obligations as
they come due. Furthermore,to the extent possible an attempt will be made to match investment maturities
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Accounting Polices&Procedures Manual Village of North Palm Beach
with known cash needs and anticipated cash flow requirements. Unless matched to a specific cash flow,
the Village will not directly invest in securities maturing more than three years from the date of purchase.
Portfolio Composition
The following are the limits for investments and limits on security issues, and maturities in the portfolio.
The Chief Financial Officer has the option to further restrict investment in selected instruments,to conform
to the present market conditions.
Note: The table insert noted below defines two types of Village investments;"Operating"and"Core":
1. Operating: Those liquid funds necessary to conduct routine village activity, in addition to an amount
determined by the village council and administration sufficient to cover emergency situations and
unforeseen capital expenditures.
2. Core: All funds not included in operating funds. In general, these funds can be invested in issues with
longer-term maturities.
These terms shall be defined and the amounts will be designated at least once a year during the village
budget discussions. Changes during a year shall only be made by resolution of the village council. These
changes will apply to the end of the current fiscal year and must be reconfirmed or changed as needed
during the next annual budget process.
Table Inset:
Authorized Investments Type ofFunds Maturi ty Minimum% Maximum
Ran e
8.33% 100%
Interest-bearing Operating N/A (1/12 of annual (no more than 50%with
checking or savings Village operating any one depository
accounts budget) institution)
100%
Core N/A 0% (no more than 50%with
any one depository
institution)
Interest—bearing time Operating 30 days 0% 91.67%
deposits (11/12"'of annual Village
operating budget)
(no more than 33.33%
with any one issuer)
Core 3 years 0% 100%
(no more than 33.33%
with any one issuer)
The Local Government Operating N/A 0% 25%
Surplus Funds Trust
Fund/intergovernmental Core N/A 0% 25%
investment pool
Securities and Operating N/A 0% 50%
Exchange Commission (no more than 33.33%
registered money with any one issuer.)
market funds Core N/A 0% 50%
(no more than 33.33%
with any one issuer.)
Direct obligations of Operating 30 days 0% 50%
the United States
Treasury Core 5 years 0% 100%
Federal Agencies Operating N/A 0% 0%
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Accounting Polices&Procedures Manual Village of North Palm Beach
Core 5 years 0% 50%
(no more than 10%with
any one issuer)
Corporate Notes Operating N/A 0% 0%
Core 3 years 0% 25%
(no more than 33.3%
with any one issuer)
Risk and Diversification
Assets held shall be diversified to control the risk of loss resulting from the over concentration of assets in a
specific maturity, issuer, instrument, dealer, or bank through which these instruments are bought and sold.
Diversification strategies shall be reviewed and revised periodically as deemed necessary by the Chief
Financial Officer.
Authorized Investment Institutions and Dealers
A list will be maintained of financial institutions authorized to provide investment services. In addition, a
list also will be maintained of approved security brokers/dealers selected by credit worthiness.
Third-Party Custodial Agreements
All securities purchased by the Village shall be properly designated as an asset of the Village and shall be
held in safekeeping with a third-parry custodial institution. The third-parry custodian will be required to
designate all securities held as assets of the Village. No withdrawal of securities,in whole or in part, shall
be made from safekeeping, except by the Chief Financial Officer, or his/her respective designees.
Securities transactions between a broker-dealer and the custodian involving purchase or sale of securities
by transfer of money or securities must be made on a"delivery vs.payment"basis,if applicable,to ensure
that the custodian will have the security or money, as appropriate, in hand at the conclusion of the
transaction.
Master Repurchase Agreement
All approved institutions and dealers transacting repurchase agreements shall execute and perform as stated
in the Master Repurchase Agreement. All repurchase agreement transactions shall adhere to the
requirements of the Master Repurchase Agreement.
Bid Requirement
An appropriate maturity date will be determined for each investment base on cash f low needs and market
conditions. Based on these considerations,the Chief Financial Officer will analyze and select one or more
optimal types of investments and competitively bid the security in question when feasible and appropriate.
Except as otherwise required by law, the bid deemed to best meet the investment objectives specified in
subsection III must be selected.
Internal Controls
a. The Chief Financial Officer shall establish and maintain a written system of internal controls made a
part of the village's operational procedures. The internal controls shall be designed to prevent losses of
funds, which might arise from fraud, employee error, and misrepresentation by third parties, or
imprudent actions by employees of the Village. No person shall engage in an investment transaction
except as authorized in this policy.
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Accounting Polices&Procedures Manual Village of North Palm Beach
b. Independent auditors, as a normal part of the annual financial audit to the village, shall conduct a
review of the system of internal controls to ensure compliance with policies and procedures as may be
required by the village.
Continuing Education
The Chief Financial Officer shall complete eight(8) hours of continuing education annually in subjects or
courses related to investment practices and products.
Reporting
The Chief Financial Officer shall prepare a quarterly investment report,which shall include securities in the
portfolio by class and type, acquisition cost,income earned,yield, maturity date and market value as of the
report date. The report will be provided to the legislative and governing body of the Village. The report
shall be available to the public.
Securities; Disposition
Every security purchased on behalf of the Village must be properly earmarked and:
a. If registered with the issuer or its agents, must be immediately placed for safekeeping in a location
that protects the Village's interest in the security.
b. If in book entry form, must be held for the credit of the governing body by a depository chartered
by the Federal Government,the State of Florida,or any other state or territory of the United States
which has a branch or principal place of business in the State of Florida as defined in Florida
Statute Section 658.12, or by a national association organized and existing under the laws of the
United States which is authorized to accept and exercise trusts and which is doing business in the
State of Florida, and must be kept in the depository in an account separate and apart from the
assets of the financial institution;or
c. If physically issued to the holder but not registered with the issuer or its agents, must be
immediately placed for safekeeping in a secured vault.
Sale of Securities
When invested funds are needed in whole or in part for the purposes originally intended or for more
optimal investments, the Chief Financial Officer may sell such investments at the then prevailing market
price and place the proceeds into the proper account or fund.
Policy Considerations
1. Exemptions:
Any investment held prior to the adoption of this policy that does not meet the guidelines of this policy
shall be exempted from the requirements of this policy. At maturity or liquidation, such monies shall
be reinvested only as provided by this policy.
2. Amendments:
This policy shall be reviewed on an annual basis by the village council at the "setting of council goals
and objectives"session of the annual budget. The Village Council must approve any changes.
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Accounting Polices&Procedures Manual Village of North Palm Beach
Delegation of Authority
The Finance Director is the Chief Financial Officer of the Village and is responsible for investment
decisions and activities. No person may engage in an investment transaction except as provided under the
terms of this policy and the procedures established hereunder.
Nothing set forth herein shall preclude the Village from utilizing a Chartered Financial Analyst or any other
individual or agency subject to formal oversight by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission to
invest funds on behalf of the Village in accordance with the mandates of paragraph(h)of this investment policy.
Authorized signatories are the Chief Financial Officer,the Village Manager and the Village Mayor. These
individuals are also authorized to initiate wire transfers for the Village. All investment transactions require
approval by two of the depository signatories.
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Accounting Polices&Procedures Manual Village of North Palm Beach
Inventories
The Village keeps inventories for gas & diesel fuel (Public Works Department), medical supplies (Public
Safety Department), golf merchandise (Country Club Golf Shop), and liquor, food & non-alcoholic
beverages(Country Club Restaurant).
These inventories are maintained by each respective department and reconciled by the finance department
to properly allocate the expense on a monthly basis.
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Accounting Polices&Procedures Manual Village of North Palm Beach
Payroll and Personnel Administration
For most local governments, personnel service costs (payroll and related fringe benefits) constitute the
single largest category of expenditures. Proper control over and accounting for personnel service costs is
therefore vital to financial control. Effective payroll administration begins well before the preparation of
payroll checks.
The payroll procedures of the Village are designed to permit the accurate and timely transmission of the
payroll checks.
Personnel Administration
The Human Resources Director acts as Personnel Manager for the Village of North Palm Beach.
The Village Personnel Policies are governed by:
1. Personnel Rules and Regulations
2. Comprehensive Pay and Classification Plan adopted annually in the budget
3. Various Union Contracts
The Human Resources Director is responsible to oversee the new hires,terminations, pay scales and other
personnel related matters.
Personnel Action Form(PAF)generally is used to execute personnel related changes in the payroll system.
New Employees
The Human Resources Department is responsible for processing new employees.
Department Heads are required to work with the Human Resources Director to complete the following
forms for all new employees:
1. Employment Application and Background Releases
2. Department Hiring Recommendation Memo
3. Conditional Offer Letter from the Manager
4. Personnel Action Form
5. Background Check Authorizations
6. Oath
7. W-4
8. I-9 and copy(ies)of supporting document(s)
9. Drug-Free Workplace Acknowledgement and pre-employment testing Instructions
10. Emergency Contact Form
11. Identification Badge Questionnaire and Picture
12. F.S.S. 119.07 Exemption Form
13. Policy Acknowledgements(Safety,FMLA,and Vehicle as applicable)
14. Medical Insurance Enrollment Form or Opt-Out Form(full-time employees only)
15. Dental Insurance Enrollment Form or Waiver(full-time employees only)
16. Life Insurance Enrollment/Beneficiary Designation Form(full-time employees only)
17. Long-term Disability Enrollment Form(full-time employees only)
18. Flexible Spending Account Enrollment Form(optional/full-time employees only)
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Accounting Polices&Procedures Manual Village of North Palm Beach
19. Optional Insurance product enrollment forms if elected(e.g.,EyeMed vision insurance,AFLAC,
etc.) (full-time employees only,except AFLAC)
20. Pension Election Form(s)(full-time employees only)
21. Deferred Compensation(457)Enrollment Form(optional/full-time employees only)
22. Direct Deposit Form(optional)
The Human Resources Director reviews the paperwork of the new employees and sends it to Finance
Department for completion in automated payroll system. Following activation in payroll, employee
paperwork is scanned by Finance and returned to Human Resources for maintenance as part of the
employee's personnel file.
Terminations
The Human Resources Department is responsible for processing terminations.
Department Heads are required to work with the Human Resources Director to complete the following
forms for all terminations:
1. Personnel Action Form
2. Exit Checklist(for return of all Village property)
3. Exit Interview
4. Computation of payout of accrued leave balances in accordance with applicable policies and/or
collective bargaining agreements
5. Coordination of continuing benefits as applicable(COBRA,retiree insurance,and/or portability of
life insurance)
The Human Resources Director reviews the paperwork of terminated employees and sends it to Finance
Department for completion in automated payroll system. Following final payouts through payroll,
employee paperwork is scanned by Finance and returned to Human Resources for inclusion in the
employee's personnel file.
Payroll
The Village pays wages on a bi-weekly basis. The Finance Department electronically submits an earnings
worksheet to each Department which lists each employee and the categories of payment, i.e., regular pay,
overtime pay,vacation,etc. The following procedure is used to process the payroll paperwork:
1. The Finance Department sends out a blank worksheet to every Department on Friday before the
end of the pay period on Sunday.
2. The Departments complete the worksheets on the first Monday of the new pay period. The
Department Head allocates the numbers of hours worked among these categories. Any category
other than regular pay must be supported by an approved personnel action form.
3. The Department will print a hard copy of the worksheet and attach all supporting documents. The
Departments will submit the payroll work sheets to the Finance Department no later than the close
of business on Monday.
Departments must also submit completed time cards/sheets for each employee that has been signed by the
employee verifying their time as accurate. The Finance Department will hold the checks of all employees
for whom a signed time card/sheet is not received for the employee to pick-up in the Finance Department
and sign for their time.
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Accounting Polices&Procedures Manual Village of North Palm Beach
General Ledger and Financial Reporting
The Village utilizes a double entry system that includes the general ledger, books of original entry and
suitable subsidiary records. The general ledger information is stored in a general ledger system. The books
of original entry are posted and the general ledger and subsidiary ledgers are kept current and balanced to
the control accounts monthly.
Physical safeguards are maintained over the accounting records. A back-up copy, on computer disk/tape,
of the accounting system is updated daily and kept in a safe place. Access to accounting records is
restricted to employees with designated responsibility for the records.
Chart of Accounts
The Village incorporated the Uniform Accounting System Chart of Accounts developed by the State of
Florida Department of Banking and Finance as an integral part of its accounting system. The general
ledger account classification structure,as defined by the Village,consists of 10 digits.
Funds
While each year's budget will determine which funds are used, in general, the Village may utilize the
following funds:
1. General Fund
2. Enterprise Funds
3. Trust and Agency Funds
4. General Fixed Assets
5. General Long-term Debt
6. Capital Projects Fund
7. Special Revenue Funds
Department Types
Governmental Funds
Village Council Administration—Public Works
Village Manager Facilities Maintenance
Village Clerk Sanitation
Finance Streets&Grounds Maintenance
Legal Vehicle Maintenance
General Services Expenditure Library
Law Enforcement Recreation
Police Forfeiture Trust Expenditure Special Events
Fire Department Debt Service
Pool Reserves
Tennis Community Planning
Building Department Code Enforcement
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Accounting Polices&Procedures Manual Village of North Palm Beach
Enterprise Funds
Golf Course Country Club Administration
Golf Shop&Driving Range Clubhouse Grounds
Restaurant Debt Service
Reserves
Account Types
Assets and Other Debits
This heading covers not only assets, but also those items that are not assets at the date of the
balance sheet,but are expected to become assets at some future time. This heading also includes
accounts,which normally have debit balances even though they are not assets.
Liabilities and Other Credits
This heading covers not only liabilities in existence at the date of the balance sheet, but items
which may become liabilities at some future time, and other accounts which normally carry credit
balances.
Revenues
Revenues may be operationally defined in a governmental fund accounting context as "all
increases in fund net assets except those arising from interfund reimbursements, interfund
operating and residual equity transfers,or long-term debt issues".
Expenditures
The term "expenditures", whether used in connection with the accrual or accrual basis of
accounting, denotes the cost of goods delivered or services rendered (whether paid or unpaid)
including expenses, capital outlays, and the provisions for debt retirement where such debt is not
reported as a liability of the fund from which it was retired. Each expenditure should be analyzed
and classified individually by transaction code, and object regardless of the organizational unit
incurring it. Cost allocation may be necessary where material amounts of expenditures for a single
organization unit cross function-activity lines.
Journal Entries
Journal entries are used to record all financial transactions in the general ledger. There are two types of
journal entries. Journal entry sources are used to identify where the journal entry originated. The sources
are:
• Manual Journal Entry
• Payroll System
• Accounts Payable
• Cash Receipts
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Accounting Polices&Procedures Manual Village of North Palm Beach
Computer Generated Journal Entries
Upon completion of their work, other accounting personnel(i.e., Accounts Payable,Payroll, and Accounts
Receivable) update their journal entries automatically on the computer system. Various checks and
balances are completed along the way to insure accuracy.
Manual Journal Entries
Journal entry forms are prepared to document all manually prepared journal entries and are the source
document to record information in the general ledger.
Various accounting personnel are responsible for preparing this type of journal entry. The Finance Director
approves each manual journal entry before it is entered into the accounting system. The document contains
the following data:
• Transaction date
• Journal entry number
• Account number(s)
• Account title
• Transaction debit or credit amount(s)
• Transaction description
Supporting documentation, where applicable, for the transaction being recorded is attached to the journal
entry form. The journal entry forms and attached supporting documentation are filed by the month in
which they occurred.
Daily, the computer generated journal entries and the manual journal entries are updated to the general
ledger in accordance with the automated accounting based software.
Financial Reporting
Financial statements and schedules are prepared from the accounts and related records. Monthly financial
reports and reports of operating results are prepared to facilitate management control of financial operations
and to allow public and legislative oversight of the Village's operations.
Analytical Review
Monthly all general ledger accounts are reviewed. Each staff member is responsible for those accounts
under their control. If applicable, commutative results from the general ledger accounts are collected in
various spreadsheets. The results from the spreadsheets are then reviewed, balanced and/or matched to
independent information. The Finance Manager and Finance Director are responsible for overseeing the
reviews.
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Accounting Polices&Procedures Manual Village of North Palm Beach
Annual General Purpose Financial Statements
The Village requires that an annual audit of its accounts and records be completed after the end of its
respective fiscal year by an independent certified public accountant retained by it and paid from its public
funds.
The audited general purpose financial statements contain the following sections:
• Report of Independent Certified Public Accountants
• Combined Balance Sheet-All Fund Types and Account Groups
• Combined Statement of Revenues,Expenditures and Changes in Fund Balances-All Governmental
Fund Types
• Statement of Revenues and Expenditures-Budget and Actual-Special Revenue Fund
• Compliance Report based on an audit of the general purpose financial statements performed in
accordance with government auditing standards
• Report on the internal control structure in accordance with government auditing standards
• Report on comments to management
• GASB Reporting Requirements
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Accounting Polices&Procedures Manual Village of North Palm Beach
Travel
Purpose
The purpose of the Travel Regulations is to provide a policy for guidance of employees and officials who
are required to travel on official business of the Village, to attend schools, conferences, seminars,
conventions,or other designated purposes.
Objective
The primary objective is to provide a procedure to be used when making claims for reimbursement of travel
and supplementary expenses by travelers and payment of these allowances by the Finance Department.
This procedure is applicable to all Village officials, employees, and authorized persons when making
claims for travel expense allowances; all department/division supervisors, administrators, the Village
Manager when authorizing and approving travel,and the Finance Department when paying travel expenses.
Authority to Incur Travel Expense
All travel must be sanctioned by budgetary appropriation. Additional authorization for Department Head
travel must be obtained from the Village Manager (no such authorization is necessary for travel by
members of the Village Council). The Village Manager may promulgate such rules and regulations, and
prescribe such forms as shall be necessary to effectuate the purposes of this manual.
a. All regular overnight out-of-town travel by employees must be approved in writing in
advance by the Village Manager after recommendation of the Department Director. All local
and/or current-day travel must be approved in writing by the respective Department Director.
b. The mode of travel will also be approved in the same manner as the travel.
c. Local mileage will be authorized by Department budgetary availability and, in addition,
approved in advance by the Department Director. Approval will be attached in
reimbursement/payment documentation provided to the Finance Director.
Authority to Incur Supplementary Expenses
Authorization to incur supplementary expenses must be by budgetary action or special authority granted by
the Village Manager. The following are the only expenses authorized to be claimed as travel expenses:
a. Transportation Allowance:
1) Fare — Commercial coach or tourist fares, utilizing the most direct route available to the
carrier used.
2) Mileage—The mileage allowance for a private vehicle shall not exceed the latest
allowable IRS per mile rate for mileage traveled either during regular travel or local trips
in the immediate vicinity of the Village.
b. Lodging:
Reimbursement for lodging shall be at the current single occupancy rate and fully supported
by said bills. Employee should seek the commercial rate whenever possible.
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Accounting Polices&Procedures Manual Village of North Palm Beach
c. Per Diem Subsistence Allowance:
For the purposes of reimbursement rates and methods of calculation,per diem and subsistence
allowances are divided into the following groups and rates:
1) All travelers shall be compensated for subsistence when traveling to a convention or
conference or when traveling within or outside the state in order to conduct bona fide
Village business, when such convention, conference or travel serves a direct and lawful
public purpose. The subsistence allowance shall consist of either of the following for
each day of travel,at the option of the traveler:
i. Fifty dollars($50.00)per diem;or
ii. If actual expenses exceed fifty dollars ($50.00), the amounts permitted in paragraph
(2) for meals, plus actual expenses for lodging at a single occupancy rate to be
substantiated by paid invoices.
2) All travelers shall be allowed the following amounts for subsistence while on official
business:
Breakfast........................................................................................$12.00
Lunch............................................................................................$18.00
Dinner......................................................................................................$20.00
3) No one, whether traveling out of state or in state, shall be reimbursed for any meal or
lodging included in a convention or conference registration fee paid by the Village.
d. All allowance rates for succeeding years shall be established concurrently with passage of the
annual budget appropriation ordinance.
e. Other Expenses:
Tips and gratuities are not reimbursable to Village employees. The following incidental travel
expenses will be reimbursed. Receipts should accompany requests for payment, when
available.
1. Taxi or limousine fares
2. Ferry fares,and bridge,road and tunnel tolls
3. Storage or parking fees
4. Communication expenses(business only)
5. Conference or convention registration fees if attendance at such conference or convention
serves a direct public purpose with relation to the person attending such meetings.
Mode of Travel
Travel by Common Carrier
All travel shall be upon established direct routes, and shall be at coach or tourist fare rates. If a traveler
elects to take an indirect route for his/her convenience, costs in excess of the rate for a direct route passage
shall be borne by said traveler and he/she shall be reimbursed only for such direct route rate. The Village
Manager shall determine the most cost effective method of travel for each trip, and in making his
detenninations,shall consider the following conditions:
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Accounting Polices&Procedures Manual Village of North Palm Beach
1. The nature of business.
2. The most efficient and economical means of travel (considering the time, cost of
transportation).
3. The number of persons making the trip and the amount of equipment or material to be
transported.
Travel by Private Vehicle
a. The use of a privately owned vehicle for official travel in lieu of public vehicle or common
carrier may be authorized by the Village Manager, if a publicly owned vehicle is not
available. If traveling by privately owned vehicle,the traveler shall receive reimbursement of
a mileage allowance authorization by the Village policy.
b. All mileage shall be computed from point of origin to point of destination and,when possible,
shall be computed on the basis of the current map of the State Road Department. Vicinity
mileage necessary for conduct of office business is allowable but must be shown as a separate
item on expense vouchers.
c. No traveler shall be allowed mileage or transportation expense if he/she is gratuitously
transported by another person, or when transported by another traveler who is entitled to
mileage or transportation expense from the Village.
Advance Travel Allowance
Advance payment of travel allowance is permitted provided that an advance is requested and approved by
the Village Manager prior to disbursement. Advance travel payments are subject to the following rules:
a. The Village shall advance to employee, prior to travel, per diem for meal allowance, cost of
hotel,tuition and registration fees which have not been prepaid by the Village. Employees are
encouraged to request the checks made out directly to hotels and organizations to avoid
paying sales and other taxes. Sales tax paid by the employee for hotel is not reimbursable.
b. Separate requests must be submitted for each person making the trip. Payment will be made
with separate checks issued to each person.
c. Requests will be supported by a copy of the applicable meeting brochure and will be
submitted soon enough to allow sufficient time for processing and preparing checks.
d. Check Issue Authorization form must be authorized by the Department Head and approved by
the Village Manager. This form is then submitted to the Finance Department for check
issuance.
e. Upon return from a trip, all receipts and supporting documentation must be submitted with a
completed Report of Travel Expense form. If additional monies are owed, a check request
form should be attached. Monies not spent should be returned to the Finance Department
with the Report of Travel Expenses.
Travel Expense Procedure
Travel Expense Reimbursement
Travel expense will be reimbursed at the rates prescribed and authorized by the Village policies.
A Request for all out-of-town overnight travel must be submitted in writing to the Village Manager
reflecting recommendation of the Department Director. A Travel Expense reimbursement form for all
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Accounting Polices&Procedures Manual Village of North Palm Beach
approved travel costs, including receipts and Check Issue Authorization form must be submitted by
traveling employees to their Department Director for review and written approval. This approved
reimbursement package will be forwarded to the Village Manager for his review and approval before
submission to the Finance Department.
Payment for Travel
After the Finance Department's review and approval of mathematical accuracy and a detailed review of
required receipt documentation for the approved travel reimbursement, checks will be issued by the
Finance Department to the individual requesting payment.
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Accounting Polices&Procedures Manual Village of North Palm Beach
Definitions
Authorized Travel That travel approved by Village Council through an appropriation ordinance and
approved in advance by the Village Manager;or travel approved by Village
Council extemporaneously.
Class A Travel Continuous travel of twenty-four hours or more away from the Village which
involves overnight absence.
Class B Travel Travel for a short or day trip not involving overnight absence.
Common Carrier Train,bus,commercial airlines operating scheduled flights,or rental cars of an
established rental firm.
Other Expenses Other incidental expenses for which reimbursement has been authorized,
including:
a. Taxi fare,ferry fares and tolls
b. Auto storage and parking fees
c. Communication expenses
d. Miscellaneous expenses
Supplementary Other expenses authorized by Council or budgetary action which are not
Expenses considered part of travel;e.g., spouse accompanying traveler with special
pennission,entertaining during and as a course of travel,etc.
Traveler Any person authorized by law to travel a Village expense while traveling of
official business.
Travel Day A period of twenty-four hours consisting of four quarters of six hours each.
Travel Expense The usual ordinary and incidental expenditure necessarily incurred by a traveler.
Travel Period A period of time between the time of departure and time of return.
Village The Village of North Palm Beach,Florida.
Village Official An individual who in the performance of his official duties is vested by law with
powers of government and who is elected by the people,or appointed by the
Village Council and has jurisdiction extending throughout the municipality,or
any person lawfully serving as either of the foregoing classes of individuals as
designee or successor.
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Accounting Polices&Procedures Manual Village of North Palm Beach
Fund Balance Policy
Purpose
The following policy has been adopted by the Village of North Palm Beach in order to address the
implications of Governmental Accounting Standards Board ("GASB") Statement No. 54, Fund Balance
Reporting and Government Fund Definitions. This policy and the procedures promulgated under it
supersede all previous regulations regarding the Village's fund balance and reserve policies.
Fund Type Definitions
The following definitions will be used in reporting activity in governmental funds across the Village. The
Village may or may not report all fund types in any given reporting period,based on actual circumstances
and activity.
The ,general fund is used to account for all financial resources not accounted for and reported in
another fund.
Special revenue funds are used to account and report the proceeds of specific revenue sources that
are restricted or committed to expenditures for specific purposes other than debt service or capital
projects. The term `proceeds of specific revenue sources" establishes that one or more specific
restricted or committed revenues should be the foundation for a special revenue fund. Those
specific restricted or committed revenues may be initially received in another fund and
subsequently distributed to a special revenue fund. Those amounts should not be recognized as
revenue in the fund initially receiving them; however, those inflows should be recognized as
revenue in the special revenue fund in which they will be expended in accordance with specified
purposes. Special revenue funds should not be used to account for resources held in trust for
individuals, private organizations, or other governments. The restricted or committed proceeds of
specific revenue sources should be expected to continue to comprise a substantial portion of the
inflows reported in the fund. Other resources (investment earnings and transfers from other fund,
for example) also may be reported in the fund if those resources are restricted, committed or
assigned to the specified purpose of the fund.
Debt service funds are used to account for all financial resources restricted, committed or assigned
to expenditures for principal and interest. Debt service funds should be used to report resources if
legally mandated. Financial resources that are being accumulated for principal and interest
maturing in future years also should be reported in debt service funds.
Capital projects funds are used to account for all financial resources restricted, committed or
assigned to expenditures for capital outlays, including the acquisition or construction of capital
facilities and other capital assets. Capital projects funds exclude those types of capital-related
outflows financed by proprietary funds or for assets that will be held in trust for individuals,
private organizations,or other governments.
Permanent funds are used to account for and report resources that are restricted to the extent that
only eamings, and not principal, may be used for purposes that support the Village's programs —
that is, for the benefit of the Village or its citizenry. Permanent funds do not include private-
purpose trust funds, which should be used to report situations in which the Village is required to
use the principal or earnings for the benefit of individuals, private organizations, or other
governments.
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Accounting Polices&Procedures Manual Village of North Palm Beach
Fund Balance Reporting in Governmental Funds
Fund balance will be reported in governmental funds under the following categories using the definitions
provided by GASB Statement No. 54:
Nonspendable fund balance includes amounts that cannot be spent because they are either(a) not
in spendable form or (b) legally or contractually required to be maintained intact. The "not in
spendable form" criterion includes items that are not expected to be converted to cash, for
example, inventories and prepaid amounts. It also includes the long-term amount of loans and
notes receivable, as well as property acquired for resale. However, if the use of the proceeds from
the collection of those receivables or from the sale of those properties is restricted, committed, or
assigned, then they should be included in the appropriate fund balance classification (restricted,
committed, or assigned), rather than nonspendable fund balance. The corpus (or principal) of a
permanent fund is an example of an amount that is legally or contractually required to be
maintained intact
Restricted fund balance includes amounts that are restricted to specific purposes when constraints
placed on the use of resources are either:
(a) Externally imposed by creditors (such as through debt covenants), grantors, contributors, or
laws or regulations of other governments;or
(b) Imposed by law through constitutional provisions or enabling legislation.
Enabling legislation authorizes the Village to assess, levy, charge, or otherwise mandate payment
or resources(from external resource providers)and includes a legally enforceable requirement that
those resources be used only for the specific purposes stipulated in the legislation. Legal
enforceability means the government can be compelled by an external party — such as citizens,
public interest groups, or the judiciary—to use resources created by enabling legislation only for
the purposes specified by the legislation.
Committed fund balance includes amounts that can be used only for specific purposes pursuant to
constraints imposed by an ordinance, the Village's highest level of decision making authority.
Those committed amounts cannot be used for any other purpose unless the Village removes or
changes the specified use by taking the same type of action (an ordinance) it employed to
previously commit those amounts. Committed fund balance should incorporate contractual
obligations to the extent that existing resources in the fund have been specifically committed for
use in satisfying those contractual requirements. Amounts in the committed fund balance
classification may be redeployed for other purposes pursuant to an ordinance. Constraints imposed
on the use of committed amounts are imposed by the Village, separate from the authorization to
raise the underlying revenue. Therefore, compliance with constraints imposed by the Village that
commit amounts to specific purposes is not considered to be legally enforceable. An ordinance
that commits fund balance to a specific purpose should be adopted prior to the end of the reporting
period, but the amount, if any, which will be subject to the constraint, may be determined in the
subsequent period.
Assigned fund balance includes amounts intended to be used by the Village for specific purposes,
but are neither restricted nor committed. Intent should be expressed by the Village Council or the
Village Manager to which the Village Council has delegated authority to assign amounts to be
used for specific purposes. The authority for making an assignment is not required to be the
Village's highest level of decision-making authority. Constraints imposed on the use of assigned
amounts are more easily removed or modified than those imposed on amounts that are classified
as committed.
In governmental funds other than the general fund, assigned fund balance includes all remaining
amounts (except for negative balances) that are not classified as nonspendable and are neither
restricted nor committed. In the general fund, assigned fund balance includes all amounts that are
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Accounting Polices&Procedures Manual Village of North Palm Beach
intended to be used for specific purposes in accordance with the Village's expressed intent,but are
neither restricted nor committed. By reporting particular amounts that are not restricted or
committed in a special revenue, capital projects, debt service, or permanent fund, the Village has
assigned those amounts to the purpose of the respective funds. Assignment within the general fund
conveys that the intended use of those amounts is for a specific purpose that is narrower than the
general purposes of the Village itself. An assignment for an amount to a specific purpose should
not be reported if the assignment would result in a deficit in unassigned fund balance.
An appropriation of existing fund balance to eliminate a projected budgetary deficit in the
subsequent year's budget in an amount no greater than the projected excess of expected
expenditures over expected revenues satisfies the criteria to be classified as an assignment of fund
balance.
Unassigned fund balance includes the residual classification for the general fund. This
classification represents fund balance that has not been assigned to other funds and that has not
been restricted, committed, or assigned to specific purposes within the general fund. The general
fund should be the only fund that reports a positive unassigned fund balance amount. In other
governmental funds, it may be necessary to report a negative unassigned fund balance if
expenditures incurred for specific purposes exceeded the amounts restricted, committed, or
assigned to those purposes.
Operational Guidelines
The following guidelines address the classification and use of fund balance in governmental funds:
Classifying fund balance amounts — Fund balance classifications depict the nature of the net
resources that are reported in a governmental fund. An individual governmental fund may include
nonspendable resources and amounts that are restricted, committed, or assigned, or any
combination of those classifications. The general fund may also include an unassigned amount.
Encumbrance reporting_ - Encumbering amounts for specific purposes for which resources have
already been restricted, committed or assigned should not result in separate display of encumbered
amounts. Encumbered amounts for specific purposes for which amounts have not been previously
restricted, committed or assigned, will be classified as committed or assigned, as appropriate,
based on the definitions and criteria set forth in GASB Statement No. 54.
Prioritization of fund balance use - When an expenditure is incurred for purposes for which both
restricted and unrestricted (committed, assigned, or unassigned) amounts are available, it shall be
the policy of the Village to consider restricted amounts to have been reduced first. When an
expenditure is incurred for purposes for which amounts in any of the unrestricted fund balance
classification could be used,it shall be the policy of the Village that committed amounts would be
reduced first,followed by assigned amounts and then unassigned amounts.
Implementation and Review
Upon adoption of this policy the Village authorizes the Village Manager to establish and review any
standards and procedures which may be necessary for its implementation. The Village Manager shall
review this policy at least annually and make any recommendations for changes to the Village Council.
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