From:	C.D. Crepps
To:	Department Contacts
Cc:	Finance Office
Subject:	beginning budget added to Edmunds
Sent:	MON,JUL01@5:35PM

HAPPY NEW YEAR !!
Fiscally speaking, of course!

Hope you all enjoy the upcoming holiday !!

This reminder message is specifically for staff that may assist in the department’s purchasing processes. Please forward to other appropriate staff that may need to receive this message.

I will be periodically broadcasting information to all of you via email, yet please do not hesitate to contact me by phone or email if you should have any questions or concerns for me about what is communicated.

NEW YEAR BEGINNING BUDGET
Thank you for being patient as we prepare Edmunds MCSJ for our new fiscal year. The new year's beginning budget was recently uploaded to the accounts within Edmunds. Please feel free to print reports, enter requisitions against that budget, and have department heads or their designees notify me of any needed changes to budget.

GENERAL OPERATING GUIDANCE
We always ask that you stay within the budget of the operating expenditures within your departments, keeping salaries and fringes separate from other operating expenditures. However, we understand that circumstances may arise that push you to exceed the department budget. Matthew and I are willing to cooperate with you to help you meet your real needs.

And, don't be afraid to reach out to the helpful folks in Human Resources (Renee Jones and Misty Coffin), Information Technology (Brian Helms and Jordan Yancey), and Facilities Management (Kevin McNeill and Keith Garner) for other appropriate needs that arise during the year.

SALARIES, FRINGES, OTHER OPERATING EXPENDITURES
As a general outline, though, you should constrain expenditures within the budget for salaries, first, and within the budget for other operating expenditures, second. Fringes are based on salaries and budget will be increased in the department, as needed, to cover any excesses over the budget for expenditures toward pre-approved fringes.

REMINDER ON PLACING NEW ORDERS
And, as a reminder, beginning JUL09, please feel free to start placing new orders against your budget, as long as sufficient available budget exists when placing that order. And, remember that a requisition should be started when placing the order, including an order for services.

TURN IN TIPS AND SIMILAR MONIES
Let me also take this opportunity to repeat a sentence from the annual budget ordinance adopted by the Commissioners: “All fees, commissions, sums paid to or collected by any County official, officer, agent, or employee for any service performed by such official, officer, agent or employee in his official capacity shall inure to the benefit of the County and become County funds.” Thus, any and all monies that a staff person collects in their capacity as a County employee shall be given to the County for deposit into a County bank account. Coupled with the following sentences from Section I. ‘Code of Ethical Conduct’ found in the County’s Personnel Manual, please advise employees (i) to not accept offers for paid lunches or other items not allowed in business dealings for the County, (ii) to inform their supervisor of any such offers received, (iii) to turn over any monies to the County for deposit, and (iv) to turn over any money-like instruments (e.g. gift cards, discounts, coupons, etc.) to the County for use.
- “d. Employees shall not accept any gratuity (other than occasional plaques or other symbols of appreciation or honor), whether in the form of service, loan, gift, favor, honorarium, or item, directly or indirectly, in business dealings with the County; nor shall they accept anything of value or the promise or offer of anything of value that is of such a character as to manifest a substantial and improper influence upon said employees in the discharge of their duties.“
- “e. Employees who are offered any gratuity prohibited under Paragraph 3(d) above, by any individual, firm, association, group, partnership, or corporation seeking County employment or contract(s) must inform their supervisor of the gratuitous offer.”

CONTACT ME
I am available for one on one discussion and will gladly assist you in any way necessary. We appreciate your time and cooperation with handling these special matters.

Best regards!
--CD, 910-576-4221, ext. 1303