City of Franklin, NH Chapter 27 Funds

[HISTORY: Adopted by the City Council of the City of Franklin as indicated in article histories. Amendments noted where applicable.]

GENERAL REFERENCES

Investments — See Ch. 328.

Article I Fund Balance

[Adopted 6-3-1996 by Ord. No. 96-3; amended in its entirety 6-6-2011 by Ord. No. 04-11]

§ 27-1 Maintenance of fund balance.

The purpose of this article is to establish a policy for the maintenance of a fund balance. The general fund balance at the end of any fiscal year, as recorded in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), otherwise referred to as "unrestricted fund balance of the general fund", shall be maintained at the prescribed amount of not less than 15% of the total general fund appropriations approved for that fiscal year, excluding any appropriations for capital projects or improvements funded by bond proceeds, transfer or other financing sources.

§ 27-2 Use of excess funds.

The City Council may utilize the excess of the actual unrestricted fund balance of the general fund over the prescribed level for capital projects, transfers to capital reserve or any other appropriation nonrecurring in nature as it sees fit.

§ 27-3 Emergency appropriations.

At any time, in any budget year, the City Council may, after notice and public hearing, make emergency appropriations to meet an essential need for public expenditure. Such appropriations shall be adopted by resolution, after notice and public hearing, by a favorable vote of a majority of the members of the City Council. If such appropriation reduces the unrestricted fund balance to a level below that prescribed by this article, then the resolution authorizing such appropriation shall include a plan, not to exceed a five-year period, to restore the funds to the prescribed level of the general fund. The City Council may, by a two-thirds majority vote, appropriate the unrestricted fund balance in the same manner as detailed above for nonemergency appropriations, provided that such appropriation does not reduce the unrestricted fund balance below the minimum balance as detailed above.

§ 27-4 Plan required for restoration of funds.

A. Transition period. The City of Franklin has increased the fund balance threshold from 5% to 15% effective June 6, 2011. The City plans to transition to the new threshold over a period of 10 years. During the transition period all City departments, including the school district, are directed by Council to maintain expenditures within due and payable revenue so that fund balance is increasing each year. Any unexpected revenue that is not a reimbursement of unexpected expenditures, i.e, FEMA, etc. or otherwise externally restricted will increase unrestricted fund balance. This unrestricted fund balance policy and current unrestricted fund balance will be reviewed annually during the independent audit exit conference to ensure progress toward the City's new minimum fund balance goal and to make any changes deemed necessary by the City Council to achieve that goal. Exceptions to this transition period policy may be granted upon a two-thirds majority vote of the City Council and will follow the general plan for restoration as outlined in § 27-4B.

B. General restoration. Whenever the unrestricted fund balance of the general fund is less than the prescribed level, the City Council shall be required, within the fiscal period, to formulate and implement a plan to restore such prescribed amount to the general fund. Such plan shall not exceed a five-year period.