DLGS Legislative & Regulatory Update

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Geraldine Clarissa Wilkins
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1 State of New Jersey Department of Community Affairs Division of Local Government Services DLGS Legislative & Regulatory Update Christine Caruso, Deputy Director DLGS 2017 Rutgers Governmental Accounting & Auditing Update Conference November 30, 2017

2 Agenda Recent Local Finance Notices Financial Automation Submission and Tracking System ( FAST ) The Future of FAST and DLGS

3 Recent Local Finance Notices Implementation of New County Entity Budget Cap (LFN ) Municipal Budget Appropriations for Volunteer Fire Companies and Fire Districts (LFN ) Issuance of Refunding Bonds Meeting Certain Conditions without Local Finance Board Approval (LFN ) Certification of Available Funds: Recent Rule Changes by Local Finance Board (LFN ) Water Infrastructure Protection Act (WIPA) & Water/Wastewater Public- Private Contracting Acts (LFN ) Dedication of Revenue: Fees for Uniform Construction Code Enforcement (LFN ) Environmental Infrastructure Trust: The WISE Act and Recent Program Changes (LFN ) Municipal & County Budget Cap Information CY 2018 (LFN ) Update on Various Fire District Matters (LFN )

4 Financial Automation Submission and Tracking System ( FAST )

5 Project Overview Financial Automation Submission and Tracking system (FAST) DCA is replacing the current LGS Budgeting processes of using Microsoft Excel spreadsheets and paper documents with an online system that will make the submission, review and approval more efficient and thorough. DCA will be using Microsoft Dynamics 365 to provide workflows that will help manage LGS budgeting and reporting processes. Through public facing Portal web pages, Local Government Entities (Municipalities, Counties, Authorities and Fire Districts) will be able and to submit their financial information to LGS. Data validation and system calculations will ensure that data is complete and within regulatory parameters. Through the use of the Microsoft Dynamics Web Application, LGS auditors will have access to reports, dashboards and workflows, LGS will be able to approve, monitor and report on LGE budgets.

6 Data Submission: FAST Portal Streamlined user-friendly cloud based portal to collect all relevant Financial Data due to the Division of Local Government Services Allow for all Local Entities (Counties, Municipalities, Authorities, Fire Districts) to electronically submit their required financial data to DLGS No need to download the latest version of Documents Ability to import budget data from excel or financial reporting system

7 Benefits of FAST Single platform for all DLGS submissions: Audit Corrective Action Plans Annual Debt Annual Financial Statement Budget Chapter 159 s and other amendments Emergencies Change in Text & Title Transfers Supplemental Debt Statements Fire, Authority, and Housing Authority Budget Workbooks

8 Benefits: Electronic submission - create a user-friendly cloud based portal for submission that would allow local government entities to electronically: Upload Complete Submit documents (to include audits, budget, financials and debt with supporting documentation) System will replace the current paper/excel submissions.

9 State Review & Approval Process: Better communication provide an electronic tracking system to communicate status of document submissions, review and approvals real-time. More efficient and effective review of financial reports The Department of Community Affair s Division of Local Government Services (DLGS) will be able to pro-actively look for trends, signs of financial distress, etc. Improve auditing & review processes. Improve reporting capabilities. Provide better transparency to the public. Eliminate the need to collect and store paper documents where possible.

10 Accuracy: Data verification - perform error checks and verify the appropriate data to the various sources prior to submission to minimize budget questions. Transfer of data automatically populate financial reports with certain data from DLGS (i.e. State aid amounts, reserves, debt, etc.) Public data assist local government units in providing public data such as budgets, AFS s, ADS s, Audits, etc.

11 Analytics: Single platform all DLGS submissions will use a single platform (including Chapter 159 s, transfers, emergencies, etc.). Better availability of data an automated system will help centralize a tremendous amount of data related to local municipal government entities, an important tool for understanding the services provided and the cost of providing them (data mining).

12 Workgroup The State has assembled a Workgroup Taskforce of local officials from Municipalities, Counties, Authorities, Fire Districts, Auditors, Professional Organizations and State personnel to help develop, review and Beta test the system.

13 The Process The Local Entity will log into the web-based portal and enter and upload their data. We are working with local vendors to create export capabilities to upload info into the system and eliminate redundant input.

14 System Access LGS User Authentication Required Custom Reports Data Dashboards Workflows Dynamics 365 Dynamics Web Portal LGEs User Authentication Required Forms Data Import PDF Reports Workflows PDF Reports No User Authentication Required Public

15 Accessing Portal After registering, use the same URL Click the Sign In button and enter your user name & password Click Sign In

16 Navigation Main FAST Navigation Sign In Home

17 Navigation: FAST Quick access to Fire Budget / LGE Detail for specific LGE List of LGEs

18 Navigation: FAST Click arrow next to FAST to access: LGE Fire Budget Annual Financial Statements Supplemental Debt Statements Annual Debt Statements

19 Hierarchical Structure in FAST

20 Selecting LGE

21 LGE Information

22 Selecting Document Select Annual Financial Statements or Fire Budgets (more to come!) This will view all forms you have access to view

23 View & Edit Existing Document System will open to the Information page Navigate through other sections using the left-hand navigation

24 Editing Fields Fields you CAN edit Open, white box Fields you CANNOT edit No white boxes cannot click in field Automatically calculated

25 Adding data to a Subsidiary Ledger Click Add button Enter details in pop-up window Click Save

26 In-Depth Look at Budget Sections Navigate through different areas of the Fire Budget using the left-hand navigation areas (in blue)

27 Revenue (F-2) Mix of fields where you can add data, read-only calculated fields and subsidiary ledgers Add data / rows to subsidiary ledgers At bottom, click Save

28 Appropriations (F-3) Mix of fields where you can add data, read-only calculated fields and subsidiary ledgers Add data / rows to subsidiary ledger At bottom, click Save

29 Health Benefits (N-5) Two editable fields: Is medical coverage provided by the SHBP? (Yes/No) and Is prescription drug coverage provided by the SHBP? (Yes/No) Remainder are readonly calculated fields and subsidiary ledgers At bottom, click Save

30 Accumulated Absence (N-6) One subsidiary ledger with one calculated field After adding data to subsidiary ledgers, click Save at bottom

31 Levy Cap Summary (F-10) No fields to be manually entered All fields in this section will be automatically calculated and are read-only

32 Levy Cap Calculation Summary Enter data for all fields Projected Tax Rate based on Proposed Levy will automatically calculate after you click Save

33 Shared Services (F-11) One subsidiary ledger & read-only calculated fields After adding data to subsidiary ledger, click Save at bottom

34 Notes & Attachments View any Notes or Attachments that have been added to this Fire Budget More importantly: Generate Budget Document here! Just click the button:

35 Generate Fire Budget Report Click on the Notes and Attachments section Click the Generate Budget Document button at the bottom

36 Generate a Report

37 Timeline Municipalities & Counties: CY 2018 and SFY 2019 Budget Submission Fire Districts: 2019 Budget Submission (Pilot program for 2018 Budget Submission) Authority Budgets June 30, 2019 year end Budget Submissions (Pilot Program for earlier year ends)

38 Training Webinars Open Office Hours User Manuals Help Desk Support ** Details to be announced soon. Updates will be sent via GovConnect and posted at:

39 The Future of FAST and DLGS

40 Questions?

Municipality Budget User Manual: Portal

Municipality Budget User Manual: Portal Contents Register for Portal Access... 3 Access Portal & How to Log In... 3 Navigation... 3 Main Navigation: Header... 3 FAST Navigation... 4 Select Local Government