Sarasota County Comprehensive Annual Financial Report 2019

Almost three million tourists visit Sarasota County each year and it is the winter home for over a hundred thousand out-of-town residents. Local beach communities have earned an international reputation as a family vacation destination. The art community thrives with world class facilities including the Van Wezel Performing Arts Center. Sports tourism is strong with two Major League Baseball spring training baseball stadiums and a premier rowing facility. The area is service industry oriented and the largest job sectors are healthcare, retail trade, accommodation and food service. Long-term financial planning The County’s budget is developed for a five-year horizon. Each department prepares five-year financial plans which address financial sustainability and efficient delivery of services. A five-year capital improvement program has been developed and integrated into the five-year financial plans. Management has developed fiscal policies for the adopted financial plan regarding reserves, transfers, capital improvements, fund balances, and revenues. The Board of County Commissioners has formally adopted a Debt Management Policy, an Investment Policy, and a Financial Reserves Policy. The Investment Policy is described in Note 1, Section D to the financial statements and the Financial Reserves Policy is described in Note 1, Section Q to the financial statements. Sarasota County’s fiscal year 2019 millage rate was the second lowest in the state. In addition, all three national bond rating agencies reflect the County as having a AAA implied General Obligation (G.O.) Bond rating. The General Fund’s fund balance increased from $93.2 million at September 30, 2018 to $98.7 million at September 30, 2019. The majority (78.6 percent) of the General Fund’s fund balance of $98.7 million has been classified in accordance with the Financial Reserves Policy including provisions for a Contingency/Emergency/Disaster Relief Reserve, a Budget Stabilization/Economic Uncertainty Reserve, and a reserve for compensated absences (unpaid but earned vacation and sick leave), leaving an assigned subsequent years expenditure budgetary fund balance (fund balance budgeted to be used in fiscal year 2020) of $20.7 million (21.0 percent). Relevant financial policies Consistent with the County’s Debt Management Policy, outstanding debt is continually monitored in relation to existing conditions in the debt market. When sufficient cost savings can be realized, the debt will be refunded. There were four bonds refunded for savings in fiscal year 2019, these transactions are further described in Note 7 to the financial statements. The Investment Policy was established by ordinance in 1989 and most recently amended in October 2018. The Investment Policy emphasizes safety of capital as the highest priority. To ensure the safety and the protection of the public’s assets, the investment portfolio shall be designed with the annual objective of exceeding the average return on the corresponding treasury maturity, based on the portfolio’s average duration. The portfolio is actively managed to maximize the return on investments by diversifying maturity dates, and asset classes. The portfolio is structured to provide sufficient liquidity to pay current obligations. The Association of Public Treasurers of the United States and Canada (APT US&C) awarded Sarasota County during fiscal year 2019, a Certificate of Excellence for its investment policy. This is the third time receiving this certification and denotes the County has a sound investment policy founded upon professional standards to assist in ensuring prudent management of public funds. This certification should be renewed every three years. 13