Daily Rate	7-Day Yield
Liquid Series (Unlimited Checkwriting)	1.90%	1.88%
MAX Series	2.33%	2.32%
Total Participants	389
Total Assets	$ 1,280,120,559
Marketed through PFMAM, Inc. Member NASD

2008-09 Board of Directors

Donna Luhring
President
320-234-2615

Earl Athman
President Elect
320-468-6458 ext. 1204

Colleen Mertesdorf
Vice President
507-333-6059

Kim Josephson
Director
218-879-6721

Jeff Solomon
Director
651-423-7713

Margo Nash
Director
952-226-0041

Jim Westrum
Past President
763-745-5023

Sue Crockett
Executive Director
612-872-4375

 

 

 

COLOPHON – MASBO Newsletter
Published monthly by the Minnesota Association of School Business Officials – MASBO.

Mission Statement – MASBO is committed to advancing the knowledge and abilities of School Business Professionals and providing a voice and forum for the Profession.

Publication Policy – The ideas and opinions expressed are those of the writers and do not necessarily represent the beliefs or policies of MASBO or its members. The editorial policy for Associate Members has been to avoid anything that is self promotional. Articles should be generic, avoiding the tone of promotion or advertisement. Articles should address and create an awareness of new information or issues relevant to members’ job responsibilities. The length of the article can be anywhere from a paragraph to a page in length. The author's name/company name will be credited to the article that serves as promotion. Articles may be reprinted in the publications of ASBO affiliates if credit is given to MASBO.

MASBO Newsletter articles, information items, job openings, retirements, career recognitions, promotions, etc. may be submitted by the first of each month to:
Donna Walseth
dmwalseth@msn.com
Phone: 763-785-4122
FAX: 763-785-4168

For general information on MASBO contact:

Sue Crockett, Executive Director MASBO
1805 3rd Ave. S., #302
Minneapolis, MN 55404

Phone: 612-872-4375
Fax: 612-872-4377
E-mail: scrockett@mnasbo.org
Website: www.mnasbo.org

For complete conference information, Click here.

By Donna Luhring

August is here again. Every year I have great plans for completing all of those extra projects during the summer months. As in every other year, August has arrived and all of those extra projects are still waiting to be completed. Summer just doesn’t seem to last as long as it used to.

During the month of July, the MASBO Board of Directors held their annual summer retreat. Similar to your school board meetings we approve the expenditures and financial reports, approve the annual budget, contracts with specific vendors and other items of business. The Board reviewed the annual conference that was held at Breezy Point – what worked, what didn’t and the space constraints that were encountered. Board committees were set up to review MASBO’s by-laws and policies.

The MASBO Board also discussed a request made by one of our members to consider endorsing a candidate to run for the Board of Directors of ASBO International. To be eligible to run for office a candidate has to meet membership and attendance criteria to ASBO International. Candidates must also be endorsed by their sponsoring affiliate or have a petition signed by at least 40% of the ASBO International eligible voters within the affiliate’s boundaries.

After discussion, the MASBO Board of Directors decided to poll our members on their thoughts and ideas on endorsing a member to run for the ASBO International Board of Directors. There would be a cost involved in endorsing a candidate for office. Please take time to complete the survey. You will receive notification of the survey via e-mail. Your opinion does matter.

As part of the retreat, MASBO Board members spent a half day working on the strategic direction for MASBO. This year, as in several years past, the Board worked with Dennis Cheesebrow of TeamWorks, International. Our work this year focused on the transition of the Board of Directors from being a “hands on” Board to becoming a more “governing” board. The Board’s discussion also focused on the internal operations of MASBO and how MASBO could be more efficient and effective in today’s marketplace.

Please keep your calendar open for the Fall Conference on October 23 and 24. There are many great sessions being planned. The MASBO Board of Directors will also be presenting the changes that are being planned in the internal operations of MASBO during the business meeting on Friday.

Donna Luhring
President

By Sue Crockett

As the school year quickly approaches I’m sure your head is spinning and you still haven’t taken your August vacation! I know all of our heads get filled up with data, schedules, codes and passwords and maybe even a little gossip, and it gets harder to remember everything! I thought this might be a good time to review some things to help make navigating MASBO a little easier!

MEETING REGISTRATION:

• You need to be logged on to register at the Member rate
• You can change your contact information when you are registering. The message asks you to confirm if your information is correct. If yes, it takes you to the next page. If no, the system takes you to your preferences to make changes. When you do this, the system sends me an email so I can update the member database
• Once you have registered, click on “print an invoice” or “pay by credit card”
• If paying by check, send a copy of the invoice along with your check to the address on the invoice

NOTE: Please ensure that your accounting department has changed the bank address to P O Box 1426, Minneapolis, MN 55480-9930

KEEP YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION CURRENT

• As stated above, you can change your information when you register, or,
• You can go into your record at any time and update your preferences
• The online system will send me an email with your changes

MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL

• If you have not already done so, please go to www.mnasbo.org – renew membership. The deadline for renewing is September 1
• You can renew your ASBO membership along with MASBO’s and pay with one check. That ensures that your ASBO membership renewal date becomes the same as MASBO’s

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

• Job opportunities are now open for public viewing
• Link provided in the Quick Find
• When posting a new position, you need to be logged in
• Remember to add a deadline date

Please let me know if you need any assistance!

New members in July

Active Members
Anne Ramsey  Coordinator, K-12 Operations           Osseo Area Schools	Laura Lund Accounting & Employee Benefits Specialist, Centennial Schools
Dean Krogstad Superintendent, Norman County East Deborah Hilde Superintendent            Eveleth-Gilbert Gregory Ohl Superintendent            Minnewaska Area Schools Jennifer Gerdes Payroll Clerk/Administrative Secretary          Fulda Public School Kirk Nelson Superintendent            Jordan Krista Schrupp Finance Coordinator Renville County West	Laurel Kelly Director of Human Resources New Visions Academy Marie Sward Payroll Braham Area Schools Michelle Axell Administrative Intern Intermediate District 287 Patty Riemenschneider Special Services Accountant South Washington County Schools Peng Schiefert Finance Coordinator Lakes Country Service Cooperative Shelly Frey Assistant Supervisor of Accounting Roseville Area Schools
Stephanie Shawback Executive Director of Finance Minneapolis Public Schools
Company Associates
Joe Hallberg President Schools for Energy Efficiency	William Sullivan          CEO Heartland Glass Co., Inc.

 

MASBO Members on the Move

Kim  Agate Finance Manager Bloomington Schools 1350 West 106th Street Bloomington  55431 kagate@bloomington.k12.mn.us Fax: 952-681-6435 Phone: 952-681-6535	Mary  Plante Administrative Assistant Mid-State Education District 14713 Clover Glen Lane Little Falls  56345 mplante@midstate.k12.mn.us Fax: 320-632-3981 Phone: 320-631-2500
Rochel  Manders Director of Finance Fridley Public Schools rochel.manders@fridley.k12.mn.us Fax: 763-502-5050 Phone: 763-502-5004

 

Bridges to The Future Scholarship Awarded

Jennifer S. Moberg, Accountant, Elk River Area School District #728 is one of 20 recipients of a Bridges to The Future Scholarship. ASBO International and MetLife awarded 20 scholarships to new and aspiring school business professionals to bring them to the 2008 Annual Meeting and 2009 Leadership Conference. Congratulations Jennifer!

Best Practices for Student Transportation and Model Contract Available

MDE in cooperation with the Department of Public Safety developed a set of Best Practices for Student Transportation which provides an outline of oversight issues school districts should consider while administrating student transportation programs. A Model Transportation Contract for school districts to consider when entering into a transportation contract was also developed. These documents are in response to the OLA recommendations of the student transportation program audit to improve student transportation. While both documents provide guidelines for districts to use, they are not mandated in statute.

These documents are available on MDE’s website ( HERE )

MDE has also made available the school district transportation audit reports ( HERE )

Questions about the Student Transportation Best Practices or the Student Transportation Model Contract ,may be directed to Kelly Wosika at 651-582-8855.

A New Minnesota Miracle in the Offing?
by Greg Vandal, Superintendent for Sauk Rapids-Rice and spokesperson for P.S. Minnesota

During the 2008 legislative session, an important and promising bill began to make its way through the deliberative process. HF 4178, introduced by House Education Finance Committee Chair Mindy Greiling, was debuted as a new Minnesota Miracle. If enacted as crafted, the bill would radically reform the mechanism by which Minnesota’s schools are funded and result in an infusion of resources which would provide measures of adequacy to children not seen for decades in this state.

The Greiling bill has been touted as a reform initiative similar in scope to the first Minnesota Miracle of the 1970s. Representative Greiling and staff assembled the bill, in large part, from the work of P.S. Minnesota, a major education reform coalition with partners from nearly every education organization in the state. In recent years, P.S. Minnesota has commissioned two funding studies with national education finance experts. Both reports demonstrated that Minnesota’s system of school finance is both antiquated and sorely underfunded. Based on the results of these studies, P.S. Minnesota drafted a new funding framework and began to work with state policy makers to secure needed reform. The Greiling bill is tangible evidence of that effort.

In a series of public hearings scheduled in select regions of the state this past summer, Representative Greiling, accompanied by House Education Finance Committee members and legislative staff, presented HF 4178 at meetings which drew hundreds of attendees. Additional such hearings are slated to be held in the fall months. P.S. Minnesota is engaged in efforts to both inform legislative candidates about the bill in advance of the November elections and to work with seated legislators as the 2009 session approaches. The key elements of HF 4178 have been incorporated into the legislative platforms of coalition partners. All energy is being targeted to the successful adoption of this new Minnesota Miracle.

IRS Increases Mileage Rate

IRS Increases Mileage Rates through December 31, 2008

The Internal Revenue Service announced an increase in the optional standard mileage rates for the final six months of 2008. Taxpayers may use the optional standard rates to calculate the deductible costs of operating an automobile for business, charitable, medical or moving purposes.

The rate will increase to 58.5 cents a mile for all business miles driven from July 1, 2008, through December 31, 2008. This is an increase of eight (8) cents from the 50.5 cent rate in effect for the first six months of 2008, as set forth in Rev. Proc. 2007-70

In recognition of recent gasoline price increases, the IRS made this special adjustment for the final months of 2008. The IRS normally updates the mileage rates once a year in the fall for the next calendar year.

20th Annual Fishing Trip
by Bruce Rimstad

The Lake Mille Lacs walleye bite was in full force at the 20th Annual Fishing Trip on June 13.  The day began windy with wild and foamy white caps. Mountainous storm clouds gathered in the distant northwest, and sunlight streamed through these heavy clouds that seemed as random as a gambler’s luck.

Twenty-six (26) hardy fisher people set out at 2:00 PM.  Jerome Jacobson, of Business Ware Solutions, set his hook into a walleye not five (5) minutes into the afternoon trip, taking the prize money for the First Fish Caught.

Tina Rosenberg of Buffalo and Doris Thielen, spouse of Nick Thielen from Eden Valley Watkins, split the prize money for the Most Fish Caught for the day (see photo examples of their catches).

A special Thank You to Carol Loehr and Donn Hanson of the Minnesota School District Liquid Asset Fund Plus, who served as hostess and host of a fine array of snacks and beverages for the MASBO fishing party.
The day ended warm and clear, as you see from the group photo.  With less than five (5) minutes left on the trip, Angela, sister-in-law of Jerome Jacobson, caught a monstrous twenty-seven (27)-inch walleye to take the prize money for the Largest Fish Caught.

Everyone had a great time and we hope that even more MASBO members can participate next year.  It was an enjoyable day and one of the best ways to exchange business ideas or war stories with your colleagues.  Please plan on joining us next year. The date has been set for Friday, June 12, 2009.  This year it was a sold-out boat, so get your reservations in early. 

Coordinated by the Past President three-some of Mike Burlager, Bruce Rimstad, and John Siffert.

NIPG Launches Green Knowledge Community

Johanna Kertesz
MN Pollution Control Agency

Members of the National Institute of Governmental Purchasing (NIGP) and other experts, including EcoLogo, are now creating a valuable new resource to make it easier to buy green.  The Green Knowledge Community was officially unveiled at the NIGP Forum in Charlotte, NC, July 26 – 30, 2008.  For additional information email Belinda Reutter at NIGP:  breutter@nipg.org

About EcoLogo

Founded in 1988, EcoLogo is North America’s most widely used and respected multi-issue environmental standard setting and certification organization.  Purchasing professionals and individual consumers use the 120 EcoLogo standards to identify truly green products.  There are currently more than 7,000 EcoLogo certified products, including office equipment, cleaning products, copy and tissue paper, and more.  For additional information, visit the EcoLogo website.

The Buying Green newsletter is another resource from MPCA that MASBO members might be interested in knowing about.  It can be found HERE -- and  you can sign up for alerts to know when the new issue is available.