For the past nine months, the Presidentially-created bipartisan “National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform” has been working to develop specific recommendations to address the national deficit. Released on December 1, 2010, “The Moment of Truth” is a simply written document outlining specific recommendations to address the country’s deficit financial condition. Highlights within the report … Read more
Water availability is a concern that is not new to water utilities, especially in certain parts of the country. The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) recently reported that more than 1,100 counties in the United States will face high risks of water shortages by mid-century and more than 400 of the counties will be at … Read more
Before closing out the books for 2010, there are a few things that a new Auditor should note. First, be sure to review the 2010 budget and make sure all budgeted transfers have been completed. Any transfers or budget line items that the governing board decided not to complete or that you feel should be … Read more
In the State of North Dakota, NDCC 21-04-13 states that the governing body of a City must approve all pledges of securities at each depository a minimum of two times per year. The Auditor is responsible for obtaining proof of pledges of securities and for providing the information to the governing body. The proof of … Read more
Water is a basic human need. As a result, the cost of an average level of residential water service cannot be fairly compared to the cost of non-essential items such as cable TV, soda pop, and other discretionary items when determining whether the cost is “affordable”. Affordability means different things to different communities and varies … Read more
On September 30th, Congress passed a continuing resolution (CR, H.R. 3081) to fund most federal programs at FY2010 levels through December 3rd. Prior to Congress recessing for the mid-term elections, work on appropriations bills was well underway. Committee reports on all except the Interior and Environment bill have been published by the Senate, and House … Read more