The Balance Sheet

The Tax Exempt and Government Entities Division of the IRS is offering a free webinar on Taxable Fringe Benefits. Please see the announcement below from the FSLG Newsletter:

The Southeast Rural Community Assistance Project (SERCAP) is offering two regional workshops addressing water and wastewater utility finance.

LGC staff are developing responses to the GASB Board related to the four GASB financial reporting model project documents located at https://gasb.org/exposuredocuments.

UNC School of Government’s Environmental Finance Center is hosting its annual "Water and Wastewater Finance Strategies Workshop" on Feb. 24 – 26, 2021. The virtual workshop will cover a variety of important topics including Viable Utility Reserve legislation, COVID-related funding and issues, DWI and USDA funding programs, planning, utility financial management, and more.

Reminder - The extended due date for local government audit reports with a June 30, 2020 fiscal year end is January 31, 2021 at 11:59 pm. Note that although the 31st falls on a Sunday, the due date remains the 31st at 11:59 pm.

A reminder that two important deadlines are coming soon:

Interested in learning more about the pre-audit function? The budget development process? The role of the finance officer and governing board in the annual audit?

Beginning this month, local government finance employees have many options to learn more about these topics – and many more – through the “Local Government Finance in North Carolina – A Practical Approach,” course.

The federal government has issued the 2020 Compliance Supplement Addendum that many auditors have been waiting for to finish up compliance audits.  Please see the addendum here.

Local governments need to be aware that there is a new 1099 form for 2020 filing – the 1099 NEC. NEC stands for non-employee compensation and this new form must be used in lieu of a 1099 MISC for reporting payments to individuals other than employees. The $600 reporting minimum still applies, as does the "no minimum" requirement for attorneys and health care providers.

Several campuses are offering the NC Local Government Finance community college course this spring.

Reminder: the LGC-203 Cash and Investments report for the December 30, 2020 reporting period is due on or before January 25, 2021. You may initiate and submit your LGC-203 report for the December 30 reporting date via the LOGOS system beginning January 1, 2021.

The General Assembly, via Session Law 2020-3, modified NCGS 159-33.1 and implemented a one-time reporting requirement regarding the financial impact of COVID-19.

The State and Local Government Finance Division of the Department of State Treasurer is pleased to announce that Susan McCullen has been named Director of the division's Fiscal Management Section. Susan steps into the role previously held by Sharon Edmundson, who now serves as Director of the State and Local Government Finance Division and as Secretary of the Local Government Commission.

An important new memo from LGC staff has been issued related to GASB Statement 87, (Leases). Please see Memo 2021-05 on our Memos webpage.

The National GFOA has introduced its first publication of the new Elected Official’s Guide Series to assist local elected leaders in making effective policy. The first book is Understanding the Fiscal Health of your Community.