$$ Money Talk $$
The Alabama
Journal of Government Finance
Volume I Winter Edition #8
$$ Money Talk $$
The Alabama
Journal of Government Finance
Volume I Winter Edition #8
Governmental Accounting
and Auditing Forum
GFOA of Alabama was pleased to co-sponsor the Fourteenth Annual Governmental Accounting and Auditing Forum which was held on December 12 and 13, 2001 in Birmingham. Our partners in this endeavor are the Association of Government Accountants and the Alabama Society of Certified Public Accountants. The program contained a great array of information, relevant topics for discussion and an exceptional line-up of interesting speakers. Approximately 250 participants, speakers and sponsors attended the conference.
The Forum was very well organized, the food
was great, and the accommodations at the Marriott Hotel were excellent. Special thanks to the following GFOAA
members for their hard work and dedication while serving on the Forum Committee
coordinating this highly successful event:
Steve Brown, Joan Ensley, and Judith Kamnikar.
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Quarterly Board of
Directors Meeting
December 12, 2001
VALIC Conference Room
Birmingham, Alabama
The GFOAA Board of Directors
meeting was held December 12th at the VALIC Conference Room,
Birmingham, Alabama. There were 13
members in attendance.
Business conducted included approval of the Minutes of August 12, 2001.
The financial report for the period of June 1-September 31, 2001 was presented by Steve Boone. Invoices were submitted and approved for payment (contact Steve Boone, Treasurer, for copies of financial reports).
Reports Submitted
Certification Board (Mike Wright – Chair) The Executive Board approved modifications to the Certification Board Charter as recommended by the Certification Board.
(1) The CGFO Coordinator shall be appointed for a four year term and shall reside in the area where the GFOAA home office is located.
(2) The Executive Board shall appoint the chair of the Certification Board who will serve in that capacity for a four year term.
(3) Grant reciprocity for the CGFO designation for members obtaining the national Certified Public Finance Officer (CPFO) certification or equivalent other states designations.
(4) Create a separate CGFO status for retired and inactive members.
(5) Add an easily modifiable addendum to the Certification Charter which delineates educational requirements, experience requirements, examination fees, renewal fees and continuing education reporting.
Education Committee (Judith Kamnikar – Chair)
Continuing to discuss development and implementation of certification programs for Accounting Assistants.
Membership (Ronnie Burlison –
Chair)
Will
consider creation of new category of membership for student members with
reduced annual membership fees.
Membership total of 279 includes 34 new memberships during the current
fiscal year..
Scholarships and Services (Sarah Williams – Chair)
Applications for the “Award for Innovations in Government Finance” and the “Edward and Judith Kamnikar Award of Merit” are being accepted through January 31, 2002.
Strategic Planning Committee (Ed Kamnikar – Chair)
New member packets are being developed for distribution to new members to provide greater insights into the GFOAA organization and to familiarize new members with programs offered through GFOAA.
Executive Committee
The Committee will convene prior to the next scheduled Board Meeting to:
(1) Prepare annual nominations of officers and directors
(2) Perform annual evaluations of contracted services
(3) Review and update Administrative Procedures Manual, and
(4) Review Articles of Incorporation and By Laws for any needed modifications.
Old Business
Approved
agreement with Performance Support, Inc. for web hosting and web maintenance
services.
New Business
Recommended Joan Ensley
as the national GFOA State/Provincial Representative for Alabama.
To receive a copy of the Board of Directors Meeting Minutes or committee reports for
December 12, 2001, please contact:
Tracy Croom, CGFO
Office:
205-349-0112/Fax: 205-349-0197
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From the President…..
The Fourteenth Annual Governmental Accounting
and Auditing Forum held recently in Birmingham was another huge success. GFOAA was well represented by our membership
in attendance at the Forum and I was very pleased to have the opportunity to
visit with many of you during the Forum.
Thank you to all members who were able to attend the conference for your
support and special thanks to Steve Brown, Joan Ensley and Judy Kamnikar for
coordinating the event on behalf of GFOAA.
The Executive Committee
will meet within the next 30 days to prepare annual nominations of officers and
directors for the new fiscal year beginning April 1, 2002. The proposed slate of officers and directors
will be presented to the general membership for vote at the Annual Business
Meeting on March 7, 2002. Additionally,
nominations will be accepted from the floor.
There are several Board of Director positions that will need to be
filled this year and there is always a need for active committee members. If you are interested in serving on the
Board of Directors or have an interest in participating on one of the following
committees, please contact me at (205) 325-5738 or e-mail hulseyt@jccal.org:
(1) Education
(2) Governmental Relations
(3) Membership
(4) Public Information
(5) Scholarship and Service
(6) Strategic Planning
Don’t forget! Our membership drive will culminate on March
7th at the Annual Conference with a drawing for a color television
set. Each new member referral will
garner a chance to win the grand prize, so keep those new member referrals
coming!
Our 18th
Annual Conference will be held on March 6 & 7, 2002 in Montgomery. As my term as President of GFOAA comes
toward a close, I would like to solicit your help in making this a very
memorable conference by establishing a new GFOAA attendance record for the
Montgomery site. I appreciate everyone’s
continuing dedication and support of GFOAA and hope to see each of you in
Montgomery.
Travis
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CGFO Compliance
Guidelines
To retain the Certified Government Finance Officer (CGFO) status, each CGFO designee is required to earn a minimum of 40 hours of continuing education (CE) credit hours per year. One hour of continuing education is equal to 50 minutes of continuous participation in a group program which conforms to CGFO standards and has been approved as a recognized sponsor of CGFO continuing education by GFOAA. Only courses relative to government financial management are allowed. Each Certified Government Finance Officer is required to report CE hours accrued from October through September of the year following certification. Records of individual participation in a program must be kept by the individual for a period of five years. Failure to meet the CE hour requirements leads to revocation of the CGFO designation.
CERTIFICATION RENEWAL
To apply for certification renewal, a fee of $30 plus documentation of the completion of the required 40 hours of continuing education must be submitted to GFOAA by September 30th and no later than December 31st of each year.
For further information,
contact Mike Wright at mwright@ci.tuscaloosa.al.us or visit our web site at www.gfoaa.org.
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Awards for Innovation
Applications are still
being accepted through January 31, 2002 for the “Awards for Innovations in
Government Finance” program. This
awards program is designed to provide meaningful peer recognition for
documented work that provides leadership to the profession and promotes
improved public finance. Awards will be
presented in each of seven major categories within the divisions of (1) Small Government Award (fewer than 200
full time employees) and (2) Large Government Award (200 or more full time
employees).
For application forms
and additional information, please visit our website at www.gfoaa.org or contact Sarah Williams at (334)
206-6287.
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Edward and Judith
Kamnikar Award of Merit
Nominations for the
Edward and Judith Kamnikar Award of Merit will be accepted through January 31,
2002. This new awards program is
designed to recognize outstanding service or achievement in government finance
by individual GFOAA members–at-large (non-officer/director). The activity/performance of the nominee to
be considered must have occurred during the current calendar year. Criteria for judging is based upon:
· any activity related to governmental finance
· outstanding contributions to GFOA of
Alabama
· use of professional position to promote sound
governmental accounting and finance practices
in an outstanding manner
Nomination materials and
additional information can be obtained by visiting our website at www.gfoaa.org or by contacting Sarah Williams
at (334) 206-6287.
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Membership Drive Contest
As members of GFOAA, each
of you are aware of the tremendous benefits of being a member of this great
organization. GFOAA provides
inexpensive continuing professional education opportunities, certification
programs, leadership skills development, peer group resources and networking
opportunities—all for the low cost of a $25 annual membership fee (which is
waived for those attending the annual conference).
We know that there are many prospective members
who would enjoy the benefits of GFOAA membership if invited. As an incentive to recruit new members,
GFOAA will be offering a prize drawing for a color television set at the next
annual conference for all members who refer a new member during the current
fiscal year. Each new member referral
will garner an additional chance to win the grand prize.
Thank you in advance for
your participation in the membership drive which will keep our organization
thriving as well as provide your referral with a very rewarding experience.
Membership applications are available on the web site at www.gfoaa.org. GFOAA brochures are available from Janet Mularz at Office
Automation Specialist, phone (334) 244-0604, e-mail: sarahw25@earthlink.net.
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The
difference between towering and cowering is totally a matter of inner
posture. -
Malcolm Forbes Glasgow
Board Meeting
GFOAA Quarterly Board Meeting
March 5, 2002
Embassy Suites Hotel
3:00 p.m.
TSUM School of Business Conference
Room
NATIONAL GFOA
“Rising to New Challenges”
The 2002 Annual GFOA Conference is slated for June 16-19, 2002 in the great City of Denver, Colorado.
Registration for Conference and Pre-conference seminars, as well as hotel reservations are now being accepted. Visit the GFOA web site for forms and details at www.gfoa.org.
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Certified Public Finance Officer
Congratulations to Mike Wright, who was recently awarded the designation of CPFO by the Government Finance Officers Association.
This is an outstanding achievement in the career of any public finance officer. The motivation, time and discipline it takes to complete the program is indicative of his dedication to the profession and to public service.
Eligible candidates were required to pass five stringent examinations designed to verify knowledge in the disciplines of governmental finance. Preparations are underway to recognize those individuals who achieved the CPFO designation at the next GFOA Annual Conference.
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