City of Lawrence

Social Service Funding Advisory Board Meeting

October 25, 2016 Minutes    

 

MEMBERS PRESENT:

Ranelle Fischer, Burdett Loomis, Alice Lieberman, Scott Criqui, Lori Johns

 

MEMBERS ABSENT:

None

 

STAFF PRESENT:

Casey Toomay, Assistant City Manager; Danielle Buschkoetter, Management Intern

 

PUBLIC PRESENT:

None.

 

 

Call to Order

Buschkoetter called the meeting to order at 8:30am.

 

Elect New Chair

Board discussed the role and responsibility of being the chair. A motion for Loomis to be the chair was made by Lieberman and seconded by Criqui. The motion passed 5-0.

 

Discuss Supplemental Information (990, Financial Audit, Annual Report)

The Board discussed the different pieces of supplemental information that is currently provided by the agency to the City. Criqui noted that it is helpful to have all that information on the City website.

 

Loomis asked if City Staff currently reviews the financial information, specifically the financial audit. Staff noted that there is currently no formal review process.

 

Criqui stated the importance of having a financial audit done; noting that for some agencies requesting funds under $10,000 there could be a waiver for the financial audit, as to not put a burden on some agencies that might not have the means to have a financial audit completed.

 

Loomis noted that if the Board collects the information, it makes sense to use it. Loomis also noted that most agencies already complete an audit and agreed that a waiver could be used for those agencies that don’t given they are not asking for more than $10,000.

 

Fischer supported having a waiver available for agencies requesting less than $10,000 for the financial audit.

 

Criqui asked staff if someone could be brought in to help the Board understand how to read the IRS Form 990 and the financial audit and give some guidance on what to look for. Fischer also wanted to have that available to help the Board make decisions during the next recommendation process.

 

The Board determined that they would like to see the financial information with the application and not at a later date.

 

Criqui noted that having some additional guidance from the City Commission could help with the deliberation process. Criqui noted that the strategic plan could help provide that guidance.

 

Johns agreed that some additional guidance would be helpful, especially if that was able to be used in the application to give some agencies that guidance.

 

Loomis noted that they were appointed to the Board and with that they are responsible for determining those priorities, especially for the general funds.

 

Criqui asked the Board if they wanted to set some guidelines to include in the application or if the Board wanted it to be open-ended. The Board determined that they did not want to discourage any agency from applying and thus to not have predetermined priorities set.

 

Mid-Year Report

 

The Board discussed the mid-year reports that have been collected for 2016 funds. Johns noted that many of the reports did not address the objectives that were stated in the application. Fischer noted that some of the reports were duplicated for agencies receiving funds from different funding sources.

 

Criqui stated that these should be useful for both the Board and the agencies and suggested that the questions be changed to make it more useful; noting that the mid-year reports needed, overall, to be much more specific.

 

Loomis was also supportive of changing the form to include more specific questions. Fischer noted that the measurable objects that should be addressed in the mid-year report.

 

Loomis suggesting changing the report to include three (3) questions that directly relate to what the agency has stated as their objectives and outcomes in their application. Loomis also suggested that for these reports the group breaks them up and each member focuses on their group of agencies. They would review the report, and have City staff follow up with agencies if the Board members have specific questions. Then come to the following meeting and discuss their agencies and note any concerns that they had.

 

Lieberman suggested making these an annual report instead of having a mid-year report and an annual report. That way it could be more specific.

 

Criqui also noted that if specific outcomes are stated in the application, those should be addressed in the annual report. Criqui also noted that there should be a clear tie between the application outcomes and the annual report.

 

The Board gave City staff the direction to change the reporting requirements to only include an annual report. The annual report is to include three (3) modified questions. The modified questions were previously asked but will now include more detailed instructions and clarifications.

 

Discuss Guidestar

The Board discussed the possibility of using Guidestar instead of the City website to house financial information. They determined that it was an option but that they would prefer it all to be on the City website.

 

Next Meeting—February

Staff will present an updated annual report form along with an updated application form for the Board to review and revise. There will also be a brief training on how to analyze the financial audit and IRS Form 990.

 

Adjourn

A motion to adjourn was made by Fischer and seconded by Criqui. The motion passed 5-0.