State Auditor's E-Update - 10/14/2022

1. Message from Auditor Blaha

2. Meeting: Volunteer Fire Relief Association Working Group

3. Released: Performance Measurement Program Report

4. TIF: County Road Improvement Costs

5. Avoiding Pitfall: Alcohol and Spouse/Family Expenses

1. Message from Auditor Blaha

Next week on Wednesday, October 19, my Pension Division will kick-off a series of Volunteer Fire Relief Association Working Group meetings that will take place through the fall and winter. More details are available below in item #2.

This annual working group brings together fire relief association stakeholder groups to identify and discuss current and pressing issues, facilitate communication, and develop an effective process for vetting proposed legislative changes with a statewide lens.

2. Meeting: Volunteer Fire Relief Association Working Group

The first meeting of the State Auditor’s 2022-2023 Volunteer Fire Relief Association Working Group will be on Wednesday, October 19 from 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

The meeting will be an in-person/virtual hybrid format, and will be live-streamed for those who are interested in watching. The live-stream link, as well as the meeting agenda and materials, are available on the Working Group page of the OSA website.

3. Released: Performance Measurement Program Report

Last week State Auditor Julie Blaha released the 2022 Performance Measurement Program Report. In 2022, 38 cities (4%) and 28 counties (32%) were certified by the Office of the State Auditor (OSA) to the Minnesota Department of Revenue to receive additional aid payments. This was an increase of one city from 2021.

Detailed information on how local governments can participate in the Performance Measurement Program as well as the 2022 Report are available on the OSA website.

4. TIF: County Road Improvement Costs

The TIF Act allows a county board, when reviewing a proposed TIF plan, to require that certain county road costs be included in the plan.

To learn more, see the article County Road Improvement Costs.

If you have any questions, please contact us at TIF@osa.state.mn.us.

5. Avoiding Pitfall: Alcohol and Spouse/Family Expenses

The Office of the State Auditor has long maintained that the purchase of alcohol at public expense does not serve a public purpose. In addition, the expenditure of public funds for the expenses of a spouse or family member of a public officer or employee does not serve a public purpose.

The Avoiding Pitfall is available on the OSA website.