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MRSC Insight Blog


Posts for January 2015

Important Tips for Writing Your Agency’s Procurement Policies

Important Tips for Writing Your Agency’s Procurement Policies

January 29, 2015  by  John W. Carpita, PE
Category:  Purchasing and Contracting

Adherence to an agency-wide procurement policy/procedure manual is critical to combat irregularities in purchasing and bidding and maintain public trust. If your agency doesn’t yet have a procurement manual, or if you’re looking to give yours a refresher, I’ve put together a few tips in checklist form to help you get started.

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What if We Accidentally Overpaid an Employee?

What if We Accidentally Overpaid an Employee?

January 28, 2015  by  Paul Sullivan
Category:  Compensation

Consider this hypothetical scenario: when I was just starting out as a city employee, I was joined in my office by the city accountant. She informed me that I had been overpaid. (What?! How can that be? If anything, I must have been underpaid!) Sadly, it was true. Due to a mathematical error, my paycheck for the first three months of the year was for an amount greater than it should have been. My first thought likely was “Finders keepers, losers weepers.” Unfortunately for me, that wasn’t the accountant’s first thought; I was expected to repay the amount I was overpaid. Here's why that's the case and how the overpayment should be repaid.

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Not to Be Too Alarmist, but, Being a Realist …

Not to Be Too Alarmist, but, Being a Realist …

January 27, 2015  by  Jim McEntire
Category:  Guest Author ,  Revenues

Aside from locally derived tax revenues, cities and counties with slow-to-no economic growth coupled with higher-than-state-average unemployment can expect scant additional financial help from the State and Federal budgets.

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New Records Retention Guidance for Sensitive Authentication Data

New Records Retention Guidance for Sensitive Authentication Data

January 22, 2015  by  Flannary Collins
Category:  Public Records Act

The Local Government Common Records Retention Schedule (CORE) has a new category concerning destruction of Sensitive Authentication Data obtained during financial transactions, such as credit card verification codes.

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Hiring the Right Person: An Overview

Hiring the Right Person: An Overview

January 16, 2015  by  Marci Wright
Category:  Guest Author ,  Recruitment and Hiring

For most managers, the most important decisions you make are hiring decisions. Unfortunately many managers make a common mistake in their approach to hiring that results in making a poor choice.

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May a City Council Meet Outside the Corporate Limits of the City?

May a City Council Meet Outside the Corporate Limits of the City?

January 13, 2015  by  Pat Mason
Category:  Legislative Body

The statutes that apply to cities and towns do not limit where the city or town council can meet, although (except for first class cities) they do contain a limitation on what types of action may be taken at a meeting being held outside the corporate limits.

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When Do You Need to Contract With a Registered Municipal Advisor?

January 6, 2015  by  FCS GROUP
Category:  Finance ,  Guest Author

Even as the economy improves and growth within our communities has sponsored the ability to spend again, echoes of the past recession linger with several Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act initiated changes taking effect. This time it is about a recently created government-contractor role termed, “Municipal Advisor” and applies to various financial consultants who previously have provided services to the public sector in an unregulated environment.

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