ClerkBooks Events and Online Webinars
Continuing Education is key to success in the ever changing worlds of government, accounting and software. Join us as we cover the hot topics and apply them directly to your ClerkBooks system. Classes are interactive with live communication with all participants, downloadable presentations, and/or printable manuals and worksheets.
Content will be applicable to the City Clerk, City Treasurer, and City Manager positions. Content will relate to positions in all states, however we may utilize the Iowa chart of accounts for sample transactions. Council Members and Mayors are invited to attend and there is also a separate class available that is tailored specifically for them.
Click on the list of events and webinars to see more information about each class. Use the Registration Form at the bottom of the page to register for one or more classes. We will invoice you within 24 hours of receiving your registration.
List of Events and Webinars
Funding Capital Projects with TIF: Friday, January 17, 2020
Funding Capital Projects with Tax Increment Financing (TIF)
January 17, 2020
Nobody has enough money to accomplish everything they need to do in their City! However, there are some pretty big tools available to all Cities, no matter what size. Join us while we teach you how the “big boys” get things done!
This one-day webinar will cover:
- Daring to dream bigger
- Understanding what TIF is and how it works
- Establishing an Urban Renewal Plan
- Financing Urban Renew Projects with GO Bonds, Revenue Bonds, TIF Debt, Developer Agreements and Internal Loans
- Low-to-Moderate Income (LMI) Projects
- Accounting for Urban Renewal Projects and TIF Revenue
- TIF Reporting
Everyone who currently has an Urban Renewal Plan, Economic Development Plan or Capital Improvement Plan, or is considering any one of them in the future, is strongly encouraged to attend this webinar.
We will start at 9am cst and end when everything has been covered (probably around 3pm)
Cost
$125 per City
Annual Conference: June 18 - 19, 2020
ClerkBooks User Conference
June 18 – 19, 2020
We always learn something new during each install. We also attend our own continuing education classes every year. We apply some of our new knowledge to upgrades to the ClerkBooks system. The rest is taught during these two days. Come and network with other ClerkBooks users as we update you on the latest and greatest ClerkBooks tricks, tools & techniques.
This year will focus less on the basics and more on intermediate to advanced topics. All classes are being re-written! The second day will focus primarily on economic development and urban renewal. All content will be applicable to all cities in all states. The first day will only be for Clerks and Treasurers. However, we will hold a special evening session specifically for Mayors, Council Members and Departmental Leaders. The second day is for all City staff. Mayors, Council Members, Department Leaders, Clerks and Treasurers are all invited to attend. The cost is per City, so you can get as many people involved as possible!
This year will be held via interactive webinar only. There will not be an on-site option. Eddie, John, Sonya and Melinda will all teach classes.
Tentative Agenda
| Times: CST | Thursday (Day sessions for Clerks and Treasurers only | Friday (All staff including Mayor, Council and Departmental Leaders, are encouraged to attend) |
| 8:00-8:30 | Welcome – Connecting to the Webinar | Welcome – Connecting to the Webinar |
| 8:30-9:45 | Fund Accounting Principals | Budgeting Principals |
| 9:45-10:00 | Break | Break |
| 10:00-10:45 | Tough Transactions (Bounced Checks, Voiding Transactions, Liens, etc.) | Budget Workshops with the Council |
| 10:45-11:00 | Break | Break |
| 11:00-12:00 | Closing the Books & Preparing Council Reports | Intro to Capital Planning |
| 12:00-1:00 | Lunch Break | Lunch Break |
| 1:00-1:45 | Preparing for an Audit | Economic Development |
| 1:45-2:00 | Break | Break |
| 2:00-2:45 | Communicating with your Council and the Public | Urban Renewal |
| 2:45-3:00 | Break | Break |
| 3:00-4:00 | Record Keeping | Financing for Urban Renewal and Economic Development |
| 7:00-9:00 | Mayor, Council and Departmental Leaders Only: How to understand and use your financial reports to make decisions and prevent fraud | No evening session |
Cost
Cost includes: registration and downloadable/printable materials
| Webinar Cost: per City | Registered before June 1st | $250.00 |
| Registered after June 1st | $285.00 |
Budgeting with ClerkBooks: October 20 or 21 or 22, 2020
Budgeting with ClerkBooks
October 20 or 21 or 22,2020
This one-day course will focus on advanced budgeting techniques including:
- Budgeting Principals
- Creating memorized Budget Worksheet reports for each sub-fund
- Adding a calculated proposed budget column
- Adding a dashboard to project what-if scenarios
- Getting Council buy-in (Making it their budget, not yours)
- What to let the Council budget, what you should budget
- Tying the budget to a Capital Improvements Plan (CIP)
- Budget approval process
- When to amend the budget
- Entering the budget into QuickBooks
- Monitoring the budget at every Council meeting
We are offering this one-day course as a webinar with 3 date options:
- Tuesday, October 20 or
- Wednesday, October 21 or
- Thursday, October 23
We will start each day at 9am cst and end when everything has been covered (probably around 3pm)
Cost
$125 per City
Council Training: By Appointment Only (Customized per City)
Council Training
Scheduled by Appointment
The City Council, or Board, is responsible for safeguarding the City’s assets. To do so, they must often times make tough decisions considering the limited resources they have. They must strive to use these limited resources in the most efficient way possible; to meet as many needs and wants as they can.
The City’s staff is responsible for carrying out actions according to the Council’s decisions. In turn, they must provide timely and accurate information about those actions. This information can assist the Council in making the next set of tough decisions.
Part of safeguarding the City’s assets is to prevent fraud. The Council and the Staff must work together as a Team to prevent fraud. When mistakes are made, each part of the team is there to help correct the mistake. The Council and Staff should have each other’s back.
This two hour webinar will expand on these principals and give the Council and Staff a framework for building team work. This webinar is live and tailored specifically for each City. We will use real reports with up-to-date information from your City as examples.
Class Length
Two Hours
Topics
| Understanding the Financials | Using Financials to Make Decisions | Preventing Fraud |
|
Purpose of an Accounting System Realistic Expectations Limited Resources vs Unlimited Wants/Needs Staff and Council, Working as a Team Fund vs Department vs Account What Information Can Staff Give Me? Standard Reports vs Custom Reports |
Using the Balance Sheet Report to Make Decisions Using the Profit & Loss Report to Make Decisions Using the Budget to Make Decisions Using the Capital Plan to Make Decisions |
What is Fraud? How Does Fraud Happen? Working as a Team to Prevent Fraud Using Checks and Balances to Prevent Fraud Using the Balance Sheet by Month (Fiscal Year-to-Date) to Prevent Fraud Using the Profit & Loss (Last Month) to Prevent Fraud |
Cost
Includes: Registration for Entire City, Downloadable Presentation, Sample Reports
$225.00
Capital Planning: By Appointment Only (Customized Per City)
Capital Planning
Scheduled by Appointment
On a month by month basis, it is so easy to get tunnel vision. We tend to focus on “patching holes” and “putting out fires. Often this means the more expensive projects never get done. When an “emergency” forces a Council to complete a large project they have to borrow more than Cities who have a Capital Improvements Plan. This leaves serious infrastructure and debt issues to the next generation.
Every City, no matter how small or how big, should have a Capital Improvements Plan. Capital Planning involves both short and long term plans for everything from office computers to street repairs to sewer lagoons. However, a Capital Plan is worthless without a way to finance the projects. That is why we also talk about available financing options including: tax planning, budgeting, grant writing, TIF, loans and bonds.
Class Length
3 Hours
Topics
| Planning | Financing | Monitoring |
|
What is a Capital Improvements Plan? Who Needs a Capital Improvements Plan? Benefits of a Capital Improvements Plan Creating a Capital Improvements Plan Creating an Asset Inventory Forecasting Future Needs Creating a Project List Getting Public Input Finalizing the Plan |
Tax Planning Budgeting for Capital Improvements Writing Grants TIF (Tax Incremental Financing) Loans Bonds |
Capital Planning and the Budget Continual Communication Handling Emergencies |
Cost
Includes: Registration for Entire City, Downloadable Presentation, Sample Plan
$350.00
Registration Form
Webinar Technical Requirements:
Each registrant must have their own computer with high speed internet (15 Mbps or faster), speakers or headphones, and a microphone. Camera is not required. (Internet providers can boost your speed for the days of the training, then lower them back down after the training, if desired.)