Top 20 Items To Stay On Top Of In 2013
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1. Annual Report to the OSWCC - Your SWCD’s required Annual Report of Activities is now fulfilled by reporting all your activities in the Soil and Water Information Management System (SWIMS). SWIMS data should be entered as it occurs including mapping of all completed BMPs/services. Make sure there is a 2012 BMP installed date entered for all BMPs/Services. Also ensure that Initiatives are captured by creating and reporting “Events” as much as possible. The OSWCC will run annual reports for each SWCD on January 15, 2013. If you created an annual review document of SWCD programs for your annual meeting or other purposes please send a copy to the OSWCC and the OFSWCD for promotional use.
2. Cash Basis Reports - Cash Basis Reports are due to the State Auditor by March 1. Please send a copy of the document only via email to Jill Evans and your Program Specialist at the DSWR. Please send a copy of the document electronically and any supporting documents either electronically or by regular mail to ODNR External Auditor Kevin O’Connor. Use the new version for 2012, you can find a copy using this link: Cash Basis. Contact your program specialist for individual or Cash Basis Help Sessions.
3. Reorganization - Please complete your reorganization forms by February 1. Download an e-version of the reorganization form here: REORGANIZATION. SEND a .PDF of the OFFICIAL FORM TO the OSWCC attention Tina Ray at the DSWR. Her email address is tina.ray@dnr.state.oh.us. Please also send an electronic copy to your Program Specialist.
4. Nominating Committee - During your January Board Meeting your board chair should appoint a member of the board to serve on the nominating committee for the 2013 election and determine which two other individuals knowledgeable about the SWCD (who are NOT board members, employees or immediate relatives) will serve as well. Please note these individuals in your January Board Meeting Minutes.
5. IRS 1099 Reporting - For services or products or cost-share a copy of the 1099 copy B is due to landowner on or by January 31, 2013. 1099s are required to be sent out to any one your SWCD paid 600 dollars or more to for cost share (1099G), employee stipends, internship or other individual paid to do work for the SWCD who is not an employee (1099Misc) and any one your SWCD paid for conservation easements or CREP in 2012, except corporations. The 1099 “copy A,’ plus the forms1096 are due to IRS on or by February 28, 2013. Order forms at: Order IRS Forms For additional guidance contact the IRS: Ohio IRS Offices
6. Open Meetings Act - Per Ohio Open Meeting Act you will need to publish when your board meetings will occur in 2013. Remember to include language which gives members of the media and general public the opportunity to be notified of any special meetings or meetings on a particular topic. Keep a record of all correspondence that shows you provided this notice including the actual newspaper copy. Also, if your board hasn’t already, consider creating an Open Meetings/Public information policy. A model policy can be found on the DSWR web site. Model Open Meeting Policy. Also, please send YOUR PROGRAM SPECIALIST an email confirming when your board meetings will occur in 2013.
7. Records Retention – For current guidance, please refer to the October 30, 2012, Statewide District Administrator Webinar recording or review the documents at Ohio Historical Society’s Local Government Records Program website
8. Open Records Public Officials Training. All elected officials in the state of Ohio, or appropriate designees, are required to attend training approved by the Attorney General once per elected term. The purpose of this training is to ensure that all employees of public offices are appropriately educated about their obligations under the Public Records Act. The act states that a “designee” may be a designee of one elected public official or of all the elected officials if the public office includes more than one elected official. Find more information here. A list of state wide trainings can be found at: http://www.ohioattorneygeneral.gov/Legal/Sunshine-Laws/Sunshine-Law-Training. Ensure that a current copy of all public records training certificates are maintained in the district files and that at the January board meeting the board affirms who has had the training including identifying any designees.
9. Oath of Office - Each newly elected, re-elected or appointed Supervisor needs to be sworn in prior to or immediately taking office AND prior to participating in any SWCD business. Board members can be sworn in by any other elected official with equal or greater geographic jurisdiction, such as other SWCD board members; Co. Commissioner or State Legislators. Regardless of where they were sworn in, please have them complete the following and keep on file: Oath of Office
10. Fiscal Changes/Updates - Secure change in signature cards for new fiscal agent and/or treasurer. Review your depository agreements with your bank to ensure they are valid through the current year. As many of you who were recently audited know, Kevin O’Connor is asking that you have these contracts in hand each year.
Use this Certification Form to inform county Auditors of changes if needed.
11. Fiscal Agent/Treasurer Training/Exemption - Ohio law requires various public financial officials to receive continuing training in the investment and management of public finances. Board members may be required to take annual training depending on the type of financial instruments are used to invest your District Fund. Here is a link to FAQs on the subject: TOS FAQs. Here is a link to the Treasurer of State’s website. Visit this site to find the 2012 exemption form.
12. Inventory – Perform an annual inventory review. Contact your Program Specialist if you need additional inventory stickers. Remember to present this at a board meeting for board member acknowledgment or approval.
13. Monthly Minutes and Agenda – The OSWCC now requires the SWCD to send your Program Specialist copies of all of your board meeting announcements, agendas, minutes, and financial statement preferably in an electronic format such as .doc, .xls or .pdf. files via e-mail. DON’T FORGET TO SEND THESE ITEMS TO YOUR AREA DIRECTOR AS WELL.
14. Internal Audits – We would like to have all Internal Audits completed in March thru May. Your Program Specialist will contact the SWCD staff to schedule a date.
15. Policy Reviews - Review your last formal fiscal audit and annual internal audit for policies that need to be addressed and items that need to be reviewed by the board for the coming year. Examples include: annual review of employment policy, job descriptions, spending authorities, and MOUs and/or adoption of policies with regard to paying for food at board and other meetings, travel reimbursement rates; open meeting act procedures, public information requests, forestry NOI procedures etc. 2013 IRS Mileage Rate
16. Ethics Policy - Please review your SWCDs ethics policy with your new board members and work through the potential conflict of interest worksheets. The model ethics policy is at Model Ethics Policy. If your new board member has not received the mandated copy of the Ohio Ethics Law, download it here: Ohio Ethics Law. Also, note that should you hire a new employee, that employee needs a copy within 15-days of employment.
17. New Board Member Training/Events - New Board Member Training at the OFSWCD Annual Meeting February 27. Local New Board Member training will take place on a case by case basis.
Area 1 – January 15, 2013 6 pm. DOW building 952 Lima Ave., Findlay
Area 2 – January 12, 2013; 9:00-12:00 pm; Galaxy Restaurant; Wadsworth
Area 3 – TBA
Area 4 – January 5, 2013; Singers Restaurant, Brookville
Area 5 – TBA
18. Area Envirothon – Will be held on the following dates with the Host District noted:
Area 1 – Ottawa SWCD, April 24, 2013
Area 2 – Mahoning SWCD, April 24, 2013
Area 3 – Morgan SWCD, April 24, 2013
Area 4 – Mercer SWCD, May 7th 3013
Area 5 – Athens SWCD, April 30, 2013
State Envirothon – June 9-11, 2013; Pickaway County,
19. Roster Updates – Review the OFSWCD Roster and be prepared to submit changes at the beginning of the year when asked to do so in an email request from the OFSWCD and or DSWR.
20. OFSWCD State Wide Meetings –
Annual Meeting: February 24-26, Renaissance Hotel, Columbus, Ohio
Summer Supervisor School: July 28-30, Holiday Inn French Quarter, Perrysburg, Ohio,
Look for registration information at www.ofswcd.org. |