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City of Centerville <br /> 19 <br /> April 14,2000 <br /> Page Nine <br /> The following are some specific areas that need to be addressed with the implementation of this new statement: <br /> Timeline <br /> GASB Statement No. 34 is effective in three phases based on the total annual revenues of the primary government's <br /> governmental and proprietary funds, although earlier application is encouraged. For this purpose, revenues include all <br /> revenues except for other financing sources and certain extraordinary items. Based on this calculation, the City is <br /> considered to be phase 3. Therefore, the City is required to implement GASB Statement No. 34 for the calendar year <br /> ending 2004. <br /> Management's Discussion and Analysis (MD &A) <br /> MD &A gives an objective and easily readable analysis of a government's fmancial activities based on currently <br /> known facts, decisions, or conditions. It presents short- and long -term analyses of the government's activities, <br /> compares current -year results with those of the prior year, and discusses the positive and negative aspects of that <br /> comparison. <br /> Government - wide Financial Statements <br /> The government -wide financial statements are (1) a statement of net assets and (2) a statement of activities. The <br /> statement of net assets presents the government's fmancial position at a point in time (like a balance sheet does); the <br /> statement of activities presents its activities during a period (like an operating statement does). These statements <br /> present highly aggregated information for the overall government; they do not display individual funds or fund types. <br /> They also present financial information in separate rows and columns for the (1) primary government's aggregate <br /> governmental activities, (2) primary government's aggregate business -type activities, (3) total primary government, <br /> and (4) discretely presented component units. <br /> Capital Assets <br /> Capital assets are tangible and intangible assets that are used in operations that have initial useful lives longer than <br /> one year. They include land and improvements, easements, buildings and improvements, equipment, and works of art <br /> and historical treasures. Capital assets also include infrastructure assets — normally stationary capital assets that can <br /> be preserved for significantly greater number of years than most capital assets. Infrastructure assets include roads, <br /> bridges and tunnels; water, sewer and drainage systems; darns; lighting systems; and buildings that are an ancillary <br /> part of a network of infrastructure assets. Capital assets are reported in the statement of net assets at historical cost (or <br /> estimated fair value, if donated) and net of accumulated depreciation. They are depreciated in the statement of <br /> activities over their estimated useful lives. <br /> Infrastructure Assets <br /> GASB Statement No. 34 applies prospectively to all general infrastructure assets beginning at the effective dates of <br /> the Statement (or earlier, if the statement is implemented earlier). Governments are also encouraged to apply the <br /> Statement retroactively to all existing major general infrastructure assets at that time. However, phase 1,2 <br /> governments need not retroactively report those assets until calendar year 2006, 2007 — four years after their required <br /> implementation of Statement No. 34. Phase 3 governments are encouraged but not required to report major general <br /> infrastructure assets retroactively. <br /> If there are inadequate records of the actual historical cost of existing general infrastructure assets, governments can <br /> estimate historical cost. They also may limit retroactive application to only those major general infrastructure assets <br /> that were acquired or significantly reconstructed, or that received significant improvements, in fiscal years ending <br /> after June 30, 1980. <br /> The above gives you some general information on GASB Statement No. 34 implementation. We intend to educate <br /> and work with all of our clients in developing a plan to implement this new statement. As a result of implementing <br /> this statement, there will no doubt be additional fees for our services. These expected increases will most likely result <br /> from additional time spent in the areas of (1) training, (2) account structure modifications to provide information <br /> necessary to prepare financial statements, (3) accounting for fixed assets, infrastructure assets and related <br /> depreciation, and (4) fmancial statement preparation. The more that the City staff can do in the areas of fixed asset <br /> accounting and proper account structure will help in reducing these costs. We will help you as much as possible to <br /> accomplish this. <br />