GOVERNMENT FINANCE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION

GOVERNMENT FINANCE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION NATIONAL CONFERENCE Mark Abrahams was one of the presenters at GFOA's June 5, 2010 pre conference seminar on Basic Components of Performance Management: How to Put the Framework to Work. For further information, click on https://gfoa.basecamphq.com/projects/4918143/file/51976385/FinalTrainingPacket-PM-Atlanta.pdf

Mark conducted the January 2011 GFOA National training program on Costing Government Services and Alternative Delivery Systems.

MASBO

Mark Abrahams presented Performance Measurement: A Practical and Essential Budget Tool at the MASBO/New England ASBO Leadership Conference on July 30, 2010, in Sturbridge. This session focused on concrete ways to begin incorporating performance measures into district budgets to improve accountability, transparency, and marketability. Monitor MASBO's web site for further information.

Mark presented two sessions at the MASBO Spring Institute at Oceans Edge, School Fund Accounting and Performance Measurement.

Mark will be speaking with Jay Sullivan on GASB 54: What You Need to Know at the September 13, 2011 MASBO Bi-Monthly meeting in Milford.

ASSOCIATION OF GOVERNMENTAL ACCOUNTANTS (AGA)

Mark Abrahams moderated the Global Performance Management panel at the Association of Governmental Accountants National Conference, a discussion of two police departments thousands of miles apart. The panel consisted of the Abu Dhabi and Baltimore police departments.

Mark presented The Performance Management Framework to the Florida Association of Government Accountants on February 10, 2011.

Mark presented updates on GASB Standards and Performance Management to the Boston Chapter of AGA on March 15, 2011.

Mark moderated the March 23, 2011 AGA National Audio program on Performance Management with Michael Jacobson, King County, WA and Rich Siegel, Bellevue WA.

Mark was appointed to the AGA Task Force on Centric Reporting.

UNIFORM MASSACHUSETTS ACCOUNTING SYSTEM

Mark has been retained by the Department of Revenue, Bureau of Accounts to revise the UMAS accounting manual to include GASB 54 fund balance guidance.

Mark spoke at the Massachusetts Municipal Auditors and Accountants Association's June conference on June 14, 2011, on UMAS Revisions, GASB 54, and More.

Mark spoke at the Massachusetts Society of Certified Public Accountant's June 17, 2011 Annual Governmental Accounting and Auditing Conference on Changes to the UMAS Accounting Manual and GASB 54 Fund Balances.

Mark will be speaking on UMAS Accounting and GAAP Reporting on March 20, 2012 at the Massachusetts Municipal Auditors and Accountants Association (MMAAA) Annual School in Amherst. This talk will include updates on UMAS accounting and reporting, where the GASB financial reporting model currently stands, where GASB is heading, and an update on Trusting your Trust Funds, a discussion of the Massachusetts Irrevocable OPEB trust fund.

GASB 45 – OPEB

Mark Abrahams spoke at the Massachusetts Government Finance Officers Association's June 23, 2010 conference on GASB 45. At issue was the question does adopting Chapter 32B, Section 20 provide for an OPEB trust consistent with the GASB requirements. This was a topic for the MSCPA Government Audit and Accounting Committee on September 17, 2010. For more information, click on http://www.mgfoa.org/Abrahams_OPEB_Trusts.pdf Subsequently, Ch 32B, Section 20 was amended to make clearer that 32B:20 satisfies GASB's irrevocable trust criteria.

ACOPEB SOFTWARE

All governments that provide retiree health benefits must report certain obligations on their financial statements. Tier 3 governments must report these obligations on their FY 2010 financial statements. Announcing ACOPEB, the Alternative Calculation for OPEB, an approach for meeting the requirements of GASB 43 and 45 for small (less than 100 plan participants) OPEB plans. ACOPEB is on-line, user-friendly software for calculating other postemployment benefit obligations and accounting information. GASB 45 provides for an alternative calculation that does not require an actuary. If you have an OPEB plan with less than 100 plan participants then this software may be your solution. Take the test. See if your plan qualifies for the Alternate Calculation. For more information, click on http://www.acopeb.com/

CAFR-ONLINE

Announcing CAFR-ONLINE, on-line, user-friendly software for compiling GASB 34 compliant statements or a Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR). If you want to prepare your own financial statements, then this software is for you. For more information, click on http://www.cafr-online.com

Upcoming Classes

1. The Basic Chapter 70 and Net School Spending Workshop (for Dummies) for FY13 preliminary Chapter 70 and Net School Spending numbers will be held on Friday morning, February 3, 2012, at the Assabet Valley Regional School District in Marlborough. This workshop is an introductory session on Chapter 70 and net school spending and will explain the terminology and how your district's Chapter 70 distribution, the net school spending requirement are computed. This workshop will also review net school spending regulations, Chapter 70 district profiles, foundation enrollment, how the foundation budget is computed, net school spending compliance, the compliance supplement, net school spending worksheet, and municipal costs paid on behalf of the school district (indirect costs). This workshop is recommended for new school and town officials or individuals who would like a net school spending overview or refresher. For a direct link, please visit http://www.theabrahamsgroup.com/CoursesBasic_Net_School_Spending.htm
2. The Advanced Chapter 70 and Net School Spending Workshop for FY13 preliminary Chapter 70 and Net School Spending numbers will be held on Friday afternoon February 3, 2012, at the Assabet Valley Regional School District in Marlborough. This workshop is a hands-on, Excel based session allowing you to compute your FY13 preliminary Chapter 70 and net school spending numbers. This workshop also will cover net school spending for regions and how the municipal numbers fit into a region, a review of regional E&D rules and computations, and other topics. Bring your laptops and follow along to compute your numbers. This workshop is recommended for individuals who have a basic understanding of the foundation budget, local contributions, Chapter 70 distributions, required and actual net school spending and the like. For a direct link, please visit http://www.theabrahamsgroup.com/Courses_ANSS_Spending.htm
3. Only two (2) seats remain for the 2012 Boot Camp class that will be held on Wednesday, February 8 and 15, and March 7, 2012 at the Avon Town Hall. This three-day course is a detailed general ledger journal entry course designed to train accountants to learn the Uniform Massachusetts Accounting System (UMAS). This class is called Boot Camp because the journal entries are repeated over and over. This class helps prepare town accountants and city auditors for the Uniform Municipal Accounting System (UMAS) certification exam. If you need a class to teach you the day-to-day UMAS journal entries or if you are having difficulty preparing for or passing the UMAS certification exam, then this class is for you. Topics covered include tax recap sheet budget journal entries, reconciliation of treasurer's cash, capital project accounting, debt accounting, common journal entries, closing journal entries and free cash calculation. For more information, visit http://www.theabrahamsgroup.com/Courses_BootCamp.htm
4. Only eight (8) seats remain for the 2012 Municipal Law Workshop will be held on Wednesday, February 29, 2012. This one day course focuses on provisions in the Massachusetts General Laws pertaining to Municipal Finance. If you need a class to teach you the day-to-day basic legal requirements or if you are having difficulty preparing for or passing the Municipal Law portion of the UMAS certification exam, then this class is for you.This is also an extremely popular class and tends to fill up quickly. Please join us on Leap Year Day for this informative class. For more information, visit http://www.theabrahamsgroup.com/Courses_MunicipalLaw.htm
5. The ESE/DOR Roundtable will will be held at the Assabet Valley Regional School on the afternoon of December 16, 2011. This roundtable features Jay Sullivan from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to discuss and answer your accounting and reporting questions. Find out when the new 2:00 bus leaves or if the mileage varies on the 2:00 bus. Learn about the latest DOR IGRs, GASB 54 Fund Balance, Circuit Breaker accounting regulations, E&D rules and regulations, and other accounting treatments. This roundtable is offered free of charge. Look for the next Roundtable announcement on this web site. For more information, visit http://www.theabrahamsgroup.com/Courses_DOE_DOR.htm
6. The Massachusetts Enterprise Fund Accounting Workshop was held on Tuesday, October 18, 2011 at the Avon Town Hall. This class will cover the budgeting, accounting, financial reporting, and rate setting of Massachusetts Enterprise Funds. Over 50 town finance and public works officials attended the two winter classes held in 2011. For further information, please visit http://www.theabrahamsgroup.com/Courses_Enterprise.htm
7. The Fall 2011 Uniform Massachusetts Accounting System (UMAS) began on Friday, September 23, 2011, at the Needham School Administration Building. UMAS is offered to municipal and school officials and private sector individuals and related staff, who desire a basic course in current Massachusetts' governmental accounting. The course will focus on UMAS system as promulgated by the Bureau of Accounts in their updated UMAS Manual, including 2011 revisions to the manual and GASB 54 Fund Balance guidance. UMAS is the "preferred" accounting system for municipalities; regional school districts; water, sewer, fire and other districts; and municipal school departments. The course integrates Department of Elementary and Secondary Education budgeting, accounting and reporting requirements, the Statement No. 34 reporting model and Statement No. 54 Fund Balance of the Governmental Accounting Standards Board and water, sewer, fire, regional school and other district requirements. Check this web site for the next class announcement. For more information about this class, please click on http://www.theabrahamsgroup.com/Courses_UMAS.htm
8. The School Fund Accounting course that was held on January 13, 2012 at the Needham School Administration Building. is now closed. This session will focus on fund accounting requirements based on the provisions in the Massachusetts General Laws pertaining to School Finance. The focus of this class is on Chapter 71 of the MGL, school special revenue, student activity accounts, regional excess and deficiency calculations and rules, and other funds. If you need a class to teach you the day-to-day basic school fund accounting requirements, then this class is for you. This class will focus on the school finance laws and accounting requirements for municipal and regional school districts including updates for SFSF accounting. For more information, please visit http://www.theabrahamsgroup.com/Courses_School_Fund_Accounting_Workshop.htm
9. The next Performance Based Measurement and Budgeting class will be offered in the winter 2011. The first day focuses on performance measurement including the definition and development of performance measures, developing goals, linking goals to performance measures, the use of logic models, and activity mapping. The second day focuses on using performance measures and data to inform your budget and change your budget from a line item to a program budget populated with performance information. This class discussed the recent report of the National Advisory Performance Management Commission which established a Performance Management Framework. If you are interested in more transparency, moving your organization to a results-based management focus, and/or relating your budget to results, this class is for you. Look for the next class announcement on this web site. For more information, please visit http://www.theabrahamsgroup.com/Courses_Peformance_Based_Management.htm
10. The next How to Prepare Massachusetts' Balance Sheet and Fund Financial Statements class will meet on Wednesday, November 16, 2011, at the Needham School Administration Building. This is the third and final session of a three-day class. This session finalizes the Combined Balance Sheet for Free Cash or E&D Certification develops the template for the GASBS No. 34 eight Fund Perspective Statements. This is not an overview class; this is a how to do it class using Excel combining and combined spreadsheets to prepare the combined and fund perspective statements. For more information, please visit http://www.theabrahamsgroup.com/Courses_Prepare_Massachusetts_Fund_Financial.htm
11. GASB is making significant changes to financial reporting. Come learn about these changes at the GASB Financial Statements Overview workshop that will be held at the Assabet Valley Regional School on the morning of December 16, 2011. This workshop will provide an overview of the GASB 34 financial model including the two government wide statements, the eight fund perspective statements, and the Management Discussion and Analysis, an update on GASB 54 Fund Balance Reporting, deferred inflows and outflows, the Economic Condition Financial Projections and other GASB projects. Learn about the Statement of Resources InFlows and Outflows, and Statement of Financial Position. If you want an overview of the GASB financial reporting model, this workshop is for you. For more information, please click on http://www.theabrahamsgroup.com/Courses_GASB34.htm
12. The Chapter 70 and Net School Spending Workshop West at the Great Barrington Fire Station is now closed. For a direct link, please visit http://www.theabrahamsgroup.com/CoursesBasic_Net_School_Spending.htm
13. The next How to Prepare Massachusetts' Government Wide Financial Statements class will begin in the fall of 2011. This class is offered to municipal and school officials and private sector individuals and related staff that desire a hands-on course in preparing the Statement of Net Assets, Statement of Activities, and the Management's Discussion and Analysis (MD&A). The first day will review the eight fund statements and develop the knowledge and a template to produce the Statement of Net Assets and the reconciliation of the governmental funds balance sheet to the Statement of Net Assets. The second day will review the Statement of Net Assets and develop the template for the Statement of Activities. The third day is to review the government wide statements and learn how to write the Management's Discussion and Analysis (MD&A). This is not an overview class; this is a how to do it class using Excel spreadsheets to prepare the government wide statements. Knowledge of the fund statements is a pre requisite for this class. Look for a course announcement on this web site. For more information including registration, please visit htt0p://www.theabrahamsgroup.com/Courses_Prepare_Massachusetts_GovWide_Financial.htm
14. The series of half-day workshops on GASB Statement No. 54, Fund Balance Reporting and Governmental Fund Type Definitions are now closed. Look for additional sessions shortly on this web site. GASB 54 changes the governmental fund balance accounts from reserved, unreserved, designated and undesignated to non spendable, restricted, committed, assigned and unassigned. GASB 54 also changes how we deal with stabilization funds, all effective for financial statements for FY11(that is this June 30, 2011). I am pleased to announce three half-day sessions to discuss what you need to know about GASB Statement No. 54.
    1. Tuesday morning, June 22, 2011 Yarmouth Police Station
    2. Friday morning, June 24, 2011, Needham School Administration Building
    3. Wednesday afternoon, June 29, 2011, Great Barrington Fire Station

This class will discuss how fund balance accounts and stabilization funds are to be accounted for under the UMAS system and how they will be reported on the GASB fund perspective statements.

OTHER EVENTS

The CitiStat phenomenon hits Massachusetts. The City of Somerville with the assistance of Mark Abrahams in conjunction with the Kennedy School of Government and the Rappaport Institute is implementing SomerStat, performance measurement and performance budgeting as a way to Manage for Results. For more information, visit http://www.theabrahamsgroup.com/SomerStat.htm.

The Government Accounting Standards Board has issued a new Research Report entitled "Reporting Performance Information: Suggested Criteria for Effective Communication". The purpose of this special report is to provide guidelines to state and local governments to enhance the production of external accountability reports through use of sixteen suggested criteria. These criteria were developed by studying state and local governments currently using performance measures and studying the work of other national and international organizations. Each criterion includes the purpose, a description, the rationale for such a criterion, and several examples from existing performance and accountability reports. The report highlights performance measurement within a performance management or Managing for Results context. Mark Abrahams is a contributor to this Report. For a direct link, visit http://www.seagov.org/sea_gasb_project/suggested_criteria_report.pdf.

The Government Finance Officers Association has recently emphasized performance management by issuing two recent recommended practices. The first is Using Performance Measurement in a Performance Management or Managing for Results capacity. For a direct link, visit http://www.gfoa.org/services/rp/budget/budget-performance-management.pdf. The second is Costing Government Services; that GFOA recommends that governments calculate the full cost of the different services they provide. For a direct link, visit http://www.gfoa.org/services/rp/budget/budget-measuring.pdf.

With support from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, the Association for Government Accountants is launching the Certificate of Excellence in Service Efforts and Accomplishments Program that evaluates performance reports at the state and local level. The purpose of the reviews will be to evaluate how well the government or other organization informs the public about its performance, consistent with the suggested criteria issued by the GASB. The review is not intended to evaluate the quality of the government or its performance. Rather, the focus is entirely on the report's usefulness to the public and other decision-makers who have a stake in the effectiveness of the government's services. Mark Abrahams is an SEA Program Reviewer. For a direct link, visit http://www.agacgfm.org/performance/sea/.

Managing for Results -- performance based management, including strategic and program planning, performance measurement and management, service efforts and accomplishments reporting and activity based costing and management.

Budgeting for Results -- activity based, program based and performance based budget projects in Massachusetts and nationally along with rate setting studies.

Accounting for Results -- accounting implementations in Massachusetts and nationally.

Auditing for Results -- audits of performance information, the Compliance Supplement, Student Activity Accounts and the like.

Courses -- Announcing the course and workshop schedule for the spring of 2008. Click here for further details.

GASB 34 Implementation -- the first GASB Statement No. 34 implementation in the country and the first Massachusetts municipal early implementation.