State Auditor's E-Update - 2/11/2022

1. Message from Auditor Blaha

2. Deadline: Supplemental Benefit Reimbursement Form

3. TIF: TIF Four-Year Knockdown Rule

4. Available: 2021 Annual Financial Reporting Forms

5. Avoiding Pitfall: Update Bank Signature Cards

1. Message from Auditor Blaha

I hope you will join me for the 2022 State of Main Street listening tour. This year’s listening sessions will be focused on the five major regions of our state (NE, NW, SE, SW, Metro) and conducted virtually via Zoom. Register on the OSA website.

The annual State of Main Street is an opportunity for the Office of the State Auditor to hear from you directly to ensure our numbers tell the real story of your community. We will share data from our city, town, and county reports, hear from a panel of local government leaders, and ask for your reactions. By pulling our data and your expertise together, we will all make better decisions for our communities.

If you have any questions or would like to participate as a panelist for your regions listening session, please contact Megan Thrasher at megan.thrasher@osa.state.mn.us or 612-231-3120.

2. Deadline: Supplemental Benefit Reimbursement Form

Volunteer fire relief associations that wish to seek reimbursement of supplemental benefits paid during 2021 must complete the Supplemental Benefit Reimbursement Form posted on the Minnesota Department of Revenue (DOR)’s website. The form must be completed by February 15, 2022, to receive reimbursement in March 2022. The reimbursement form and instructions are available on the DOR website.

3. TIF: TIF Four-Year Knockdown Rule

TIF authorities must submit evidence to the county auditor by February 1 of the fifth year following certification of a TIF district that activity in accordance with the TIF plan has occurred on parcels in the TIF district. Please do so ASAP if you haven't yet. County auditors must then review this evidence and enforce the Four-Year Knockdown Rule if no activity has occurred on a parcel. To learn more, please view the OSA Statement of Position.

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

4. Available: 2021 Annual Financial Reporting Forms

The 2021 Annual Financial Reporting Form (Reporting Form) is now available through the State Auditors Form Entry System (SAFES). You will need a SAFES User ID and Password to access the Form. If you need a SAFES User ID and Password please send an email to SAFES@osa.state.mn.us with your name, title, entity, public mailing address, email, and phone number.

Instructions on completing the Reporting Form can be found on the OSA website.

CTAS Users are now also able to submit the State Auditor Data File and Financial Statements right from CTAS. Instructions can be found on the OSA website.

For local government entities reporting on a cash basis of accounting, the Reporting Form (CTAS: State Auditor Data File) and Financial Statements or Audit are due by March 31, 2022. For entities reporting on a GAAP basis of accounting, the Reporting Form and Audit are due by June 30, 2022.

5. Avoiding Pitfall: Update Bank Signature Cards

When an employee of a local government entity or public official with check-signing authority no longer has that authority, that person's name should be removed immediately from the entity’s bank signature card(s). This is a key internal control designed to manage and reduce the risk of a theft of public funds.

This Avoiding Pitfall is available on our website.