HomeMy WebLinkAbout4D, Motion to Approve Investment PolicyEN HILLS
Request for Council Action
Prepared By: Sue Iverson, Finance Director
Council Meeting Date: August 31, 2009
A motion to approve the Investment Policy as presented and recommended by the Financial
Planning and Analysis Committee.
Budgeted Amount: Actual Amount: Funding Source:
N/A N/A N/A
Recommendation:
1. A motion to approve the Investment Policy as presented and recommended by the
Financial Planning and Analysis Committee,
Supporting Documents:
1. See the attached memo from Sue Iverson dated August 25, 2009.
2. Investment Policy
,---ARZEN HILLS
MEMORANDUM
DATE: August 25, 2009
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
Ron Moorse, City Administrator
FROM: Sue Iverson, Finance Director
SUBJECT: Investment Policy
Background:
In 2007, the Financial Planning and Analysis Committee presented the City Council with a
revised Investment Policy which the Council Adopted.
Discussion:
Each year the committee reviews this policy to recommend any changes to the City Council.
This year we had representatives from various financial organizations comment on our policy
and recommend some minor changes. The only major change was limiting the investment
duration to ten years.
Staff Recommendation:
Staff recommends approval of the attached Investment Policy being recommended by the
Financial Planning and Analysis Committee.
� DEN HILLS
CITY OF ARDEN HILLS,
COUNTY OF RAMSEY
STATE OF MINNESOTA
FINANCIAL POLICIES -
INVESTMENT POLICY
1. Purpose
It is the policy of the City to invest public funds in a manner which maximizes security
and provides maximum return in preserving and protecting funds while meeting the daily cash
flow demands and conforming to all applicable federal, state and/or local statutes government the
investment of public funds.
2. Standards of Care
A. Prudence — The standard of prudence to be used shall be the "prudent person"
standard and shall be applied in the context of managing an overall portfolio.
Individuals acting in accordance with written procedures and this investment
policy and exercising due diligence shall be relieved of personal responsibility for
an individual security's credit risk or market price changes, provided deviations
from expectations are reported in a timely fashion and the liquidity and the sale of
securities are carried our in accordance with the terms of this policy.
The "prudent person" standard states that, "Investments shall be made with
judgment and care, under circumstances then prevailing, which persons of
prudence, discretion and intelligence exercise in the management of their own
affairs, not for speculation, but for investment, considering the probable safety of
their capital as well as the probable income to be derived."
B. Ethics and Conflicts of Interest — Employees involved in the investment process
shall refrain from personal business activity that could conflict with the proper
execution and management of the investment program, or that could impair their
ability to make impartial decisions. Employees shall disclose any material
interests in financial institutions with which they conduct business. They shall
further disclose any person financial/investment positions that could be related to
the performance of the investment portfolio. Employees shall refrain from
undertaking personal investment transactions with the same individual with whom
business is conducted on behalf of the City.
C. Delegation of Authority — Authority to manage the investment portfolio is granted
to the City's Finance Director/Treasurer, who shall act in accordance with
established procedures and internal controls for the operation of the investment
portfolio consistent with this investment policy. No person may engage in an
investment transaction except as provided under the terms of this policy. The
Finance Director shall be responsible for all transactions undertaken and shall
establish a system of control. Each transaction will be acknowledged in writing
by one of the following officials within 48 hours:
1) City Administrator
2) Mayor or Acting Mayor
3. Investment Objectives
The City will invest idle funds based on the following objectives:
A. Safety — The primary objective is the preservation of capital and the
safeguarding of public funds by mitigating credit and interest rate risk.
a. Credit Risk — The City will minimize credit risk, which is the risk
of loss due to the failure of the security issuer or backer.
b. Interest Rate Risk — The City will minimize interest rate risk,
which is the risk that the market value of securities in the portfolio
will fall due to changes in the market interest rates.
B. Term — Investments will be scheduled to cover all expenditures.
Investments will not be longer than one year for cash flow and all excess
funds may be invested for longer than one year, with a maximum term of
ten years.
C. Liquidity — The portfolio shall remain liquid to meet all operating
requirements that may be reasonably anticipated. This is accomplished by
structuring the portfolio so that securities mature concurrent with cash
needs to meet anticipated demands. Furthermore, since all possible cash
demands cannot be anticipated, the portfolio should consist of securities
with active secondary or resale markets. Alternatively, a portion of the
portfolio may be placed in money market mutual funds or government
investment pools which offer same -day liquidity for short-term funds.
D. Yield— The investment portfolio shall be designed with the objective of
attaining a market rate of return throughout budgetary and economic
cycles, taking into account the investment risk constraints and liquidity
needs. The benchmark to be used will be the 4M Plus Fund annual rate of
return. Return on investment is of secondary importance compared to the
safety and liquidity objectives. The core of investments are limited to
relatively low risk securities in anticipation of earning a fair return relative
to the risk being assumed. Securities shall generally be held until
maturity.
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4. Pooling of Funds
The City will consolidate (pool) cash and reserves balances from all funds, except for
those legally restricted by statutes, to maximize investment earnings and to increase efficiencies
with regard to investment pricing, safekeeping and administration.
5. Authorized Investments
The City of Arden Hills will invest only in securities authorized by Minnesota Statute § 118A.04
and § 118A.05.
1. Governmental bonds, notes, bills, mortgages and other securities, which are direct
obligations or are guaranteed or insured issues of the United States, its agencies,
its instrumentalities, or organizations created by an act of Congress, excluding
mortgage -backed securities defined as "high risk" (as defined below) or in
certificates of deposit secured by letters of credit issued by Federal Home Loan
Banks.
High risk mortgage -backed securities are as follows:
A) interest —only or principal —only mortgage -backed securities,
B) any mortgage derivative security that:
a) has an expected average life greater than ten years,
b) has an expected average life that:
i) will extend by more than four years as the result of
an immediate and sustained parallel shift in the
yield curve of plus 300 basis points: or
ii) will shorten by more than six years as the result of
an immediate and sustained parallel shift in the
yield curve of minus 300 basis points: or
c) will have an estimated change in price of more than 17
percent as the result of an immediate and sustained parallel
shift in the yield curve of plus or minus 300 basis points.
2. Obligations of the United States or its agencies under a repurchase agreement if
the margin agreement under the repurchase agreement is 101 percent and with any
of the following institutions:
A) a bank qualified as depository of public funds,
B) any national or state bank in the United States which is a member of the
Federal Reserve System and whose combined capital and surplus equals or
exceeds $10,000,000,
Q a primary reporting dealer in the United States government securities to
the Federal Reserve Bank of New York,
D) a securities broker/dealer having its principal executive office in
Minnesota, licensed pursuant to Minnesota Statues Chapter 80A, or an
affiliate of it, regulated by the Securities and Exchange Commission and
maintaining a combined capital and surplus of $40,000,000 or more,
exclusive of subordinated debt.
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3. State and local government obligation as follows:
A) an obligation of the State of Minnesota or any of its municipalities:
a) that have taxing power, and
b) are rated "A" or better by a national bond rating service.
B) obligation of other state and local governments:
a) that have taxing power, and
b) are rated "A" or better by a national bond rating service.
Q general obligations of the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency that are
rated "A" or better by a national bond rating service.
D) general obligations of housing finance agencies of other states, provided:
a) they include a moral obligation of the state, and
b) they are rated "A" or, better by a national bond rating service,
E) general revenue obligation of any agency or authority of the State of
Minnesota other than those found in C or D above (Housing Finance
Agency) that are rated "AA" or better by a national bond rating service.
4. Certificates of deposit at state and federally chartered banks and savings and loan
associations. All investments made under this subsection shall be limited to the
amount of Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or the manner set forth in
Minnesota statute § 118A.05. The certificate of deposit should be in the form of a
discounted security maturing in the amount not to exceed the insurance coverage
or in the amount so that at any time the face amount together with any accrued
interest does not exceed the insurance coverage.
5. Banker's Acceptances of United States Corporation or their Canadian subsidiaries
that are rated "Al" by Moody's Investors Service and/or Pl by Standard and
Poor's Corporation and matures in 270 days or less. Banker's Acceptances can
only be purchased if the yield is greater than the United States Treasury
obligations or Federal Agency issues.
6. Commercial Paper issued by United States corporations or their Canadian
subsidiaries that are rated "A 1 " by Moody's Investors Service and/or "P 1 " by
Standard and Poor's Corporation and matures in 270 days or less.
7. Money Market Funds consisting of United States Treasury Obligations and/or
Federal Agency Issues and/or re -purchase agreements as long as it is rated AAA
by two rating agencies (FDIC, SIPC, FSLC, or NRSRO).
8. The City will not purchase securities that are considered highly sensitive. A
highly sensitive investment is a debt instrument with contract terms that make the
investment's fair value highly sensitive to interest rate changes. Examples
include range notes and index amortizing notes, variable -rate investments with
coupon multipliers, and coupons that vary inversely with a benchmark index.
9. The City will not purchase securities that could expose the City to foreign
currency risk.
10. The City will not purchase derivatives.
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6. Safekeeping and Custody
Investments may be held in safekeeping with:
l . Any Federal Reserve Bank,
2. Any bank authorized under the laws of the United States or any state to exercise
corporate trust powers, including but not limited to the bank from which the
investment is purchased,
3. A primary reporting dealer in the United States government securities to the
Federal Reserve Bank of New York, or
4. A securities broker -dealer having its principal executive office in Minnesota,
Licensed pursuant to Minnesota Statutes Chapter 80A, or an affiliate of it,
regulated by the securities and exchange commission and maintaining a combined
capital and surplus of $40,000,000 or more, exclusive of subordinated debt.
The City's ownership of all securities in which the fund is invested should be evidenced
by written acknowledgments identifying the securities by:
A. The names of issuers,
B. The maturity dates,
C. The interest rates,
D. Any serial numbers or cusips.
The City shall not invest in securities that are both uninsured and not registered in the
name of the City and are held by either:
A. The counterparty or
B. The counterparty's trust department or agent, but not in the name of the
City.
The Finance Director shall establish a system of internal controls, which shall be
reviewed with the independent auditor of the City. The controls shall be designed to prevent the
loss of public funds arising from fraud, employee error, and misrepresentation by third parties,
unanticipated changes in financial markets, or imprudent actions by employees and officers of
the City.
7. Concentration of Credit Risk
No more than 5% of the overall portfolio may be invested in the securities of a single
issuer, except for the securities of the U.S. Government, or a maximum of 25% with any
individual counter party in an external investment pool.
8. Investment Depositories and Authorized Dealers
Annually, the City Council will designate by resolution depositories, broker dealers and
financial institutions authorized to provide banking and investment services to the City. Prior to
completing an initial transaction each year with a broker/dealer, the City shall provide to the
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broker/dealer a copy of the City's Investment Policy and a copy of the Notification to Broker and
Certification by Broker as required by Minnesota Statutes Chapter 80A. The broker/dealer must
sign and return the Notification to Broker and Certification by Broker and agree to handle the
City's account in accordance with the City's Investment Policy and provide a copy of their
broker's insurance coverage for their firm.
9. Investment Earnings
Interest earnings will be credited to the source of the invested funds at the end of each
month based on the average daily cash balances during the month. Market value adjustments
and interest accruals will be allocated at the end of the fiscal year based on the average cash
balances during the fiscal year.
10. Reporting and Review
A listing of the City's investment portfolio shall be included in the financial report to the
City Council at the end of each fiscal quarter. The list should include date of purchase and
maturity, type of investment, firm invested at, yield, interest rate, and comparison to the
benchmark set forth in this policy.
11. Exemption
Any investment currently held that does not meet the guidelines of this policy shall be
exempted from the requirement of this policy. Upon maturity, if funds are re -invested the new
securities must conform to this policy.
12. Review and Approval
The investment policy shall be formally approved and adopted by resolution the City
Council and any future changes to the policy must be approved by the City Council.
Approval by the City Council the Day of 12009.
Stanley D. Harpstead, Mayor
Ronald J. Moorse, City Administrator
Date
Date
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