Utility Financial Management
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Transcript of Utility Financial Management
Utility Financial Management
AWWAIntermountain Section
Leadership Forum Session TwoNovember 12, 2013
BUDGET PROCESS
Outline Who is Involved in Budget Preparation Main Components to a Budget
Strategic Plan (Master Plan) Annual Operating Budget Annual Capital Budget
Approaches to Budget Preparation Example of Budget Steps / Budget Process
Who Are the Players City Council/Board of Trustees Managers Accounting Department Heads Employee input as appropriate
Strategic Plan Strategic Plan Video
Strategic Plan Strategic plan is critical to budget process Defines long-range goals and objectives Starts and evolves around utility mission Provides parameters for short range goals Takes into account other partner entities Top management identifies, implements, and
monitors long range goals in plan
Strategic Plan Importance of Effective Strategic Plan
Dilbert – “Do you prefer that I spend my day planning which doesn’t look like work or should I plunge in to my work with aggressive randomness?”
Strategic Plan
Strategic Plan A strategic plan provides the framework to prepare:
Annual Operating Budget Annual Capital Budget
Operating Versus Capital Operating Budget
Day to Day Revenues & Expenses Payroll, Supplies, Legal & Professional
Capital Budget Anticipated Useful Life of More Than 1 Year Significant Value (Determined by Policy)
Equipment, Vehicles, Land Acquisition, Infrastructure Projects
Annual Operating Budget Refinement & expansion of the strategic plan
in the short term Internal financial plan for a one-year period Identifies operating requirements for that one-
year period Serves multiple purposes
Aids in making short range plans Mechanism to achieve goals Answers “Spend how much for what?”
Capital Budget Expansion of the strategic plan Implementation of specific and prioritized projects Move organization towards its goals Schedule of large expenditures / projects Planned several years in advance May involve additional public
hearings, review meetings
Operating Budget
Operating Budget: Revenue Expenses
Revenue First step in budget process Can be influenced by external factors
Political - Considerable impact through rates Physical - Weather Other factors
Business cycles Economic conditions New development Conservation
Revenue Operating Revenue (Normal Course of
Business): Water Sales Basic service fees Engineering review and inspection fees Misc. fees:
Penalties, reconnection fees, sign-up fees, other income, etc.
Non-Operating Revenue Non-Operating Revenue:
Property taxes Interest income Impact fees (be careful here) Grant Proceeds
Operating Expenses Second step in budget process Expenses Include:
Payroll, Payroll Taxes, EE Benefits Water purchases, production, treatment Utilities Maintenance, materials, supplies Contract / professional services Training, travel Legal & accounting fees Vehicle repair and maintenance, etc.
Non-Operating Expenses Debt service Other
Capital Budget Break down into departments Usually larger items requested by department
heads Items over a specified amount include:
Projects identified in strategic (master) plan Line replacement New reservoir Meter replacement, reading hardware Equipment, vehicle purchases Computer hardware, software
Approach to Budget PreparationTwo processes: Top down or bottom up
Top Down: Top Management decides the level of expenses Divides them among department as needed Budget developers follow management directives Can be unrealistic, does not incorporate input of those who
implement it
Approach to Budget Preparation Bottom up:
Department heads submit estimated expenses with justification
Budgets are reviewed to eliminate unnecessary spending and spending that can be delayed (let departments know)
Helps ensure spending is well-managed and not wasteful Pushes decision making process down through organization
freeing senior management resources Department heads can measure own performance and take
corrective action as required Can lead to over budgeting causing issues in overall budget
Approach to Budget Preparation
Can use a combination of both Department heads submit expenses Top management decides level of expenses
based on department estimations and historical information, such as past actuals and YTD projections
Budget is developed based on the above steps Department budgets are managed by
department heads
Budget Steps / Process Provide Historical Information & Budget Sheets to
Managers (Early August) Manager’s Budget Requests Due (Early September) Preliminary (September) Tentative (October) Proposed (November)
Public Input Rate Hearing
Final (December)
Preliminary Budget Incorporate department estimates into
operating budget and capital budget Review 2-3 years actuals, YTD actuals, and
projected Estimate revenue, expenses and capital Prepare preliminary budget for council/board
review (not required by law but is a good tool) If recommending rate increase, inform
council/board
Tentative Budget Make adjustments to preliminary budget based on
council/board input (show adjustments) Update YTD numbers Update revenues, expenses, and capital budget Prepare tentative budget, present for adoption After adoption
Set a public hearing date for approval of budget Set a public hearing date for rate & tax increase (if
applicable) Advertise budget hearing & increases in newspaper Post hearing information on public notice website Display tentative budget for seven days before budget hearing date
Proposed Budget Make adjustments to tentative budget based on
council/board input Update revenues and expenses (same as tentative
process) Prepare proposed budget Present at budget hearing
Proposed Budget Presentation Summarize operating, non-operating revenue and
expenses Include capital expenses Determine budget surplus or deficit If deficit, present how will it be covered
Rates (advertise and hold public hearing) Property Taxes (Truth in taxation process) Reserves
Proposed Budget Presentation From rate increase and/or property taxes:
Present proposed increases Present amount of revenue derived from increases
From reserves: Acts as a storage reservoir Part of an overall long-term financial plan (strategic plan) Specific goals should be established Emergency fund Debt service fund Anticipated capital project funds Operating reserves based on xxx days (determined by management in
strategic plan) Replace what is taken Cities have different reserves requirements and constraints
Final Approval Board meeting following
proposed budget Can have hearing before final
approval if needed Take public comments into
consideration Board/council approve budget Send adopted budget to state
auditor Video - Objective