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HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolutions - 2000.11.01 - 26182MISCELLANEOUS RESOLUTION 100278 November 2, 2000 BY: FINANCE COMMITTEE, SUE ANN DOUGLAS, CHAIRPERSON IN RE: COUNTY EXECUTIVE (AUDITING) TREASURER - MANDATORY TRAINING FOR ALL CASH HANDLERS To the Oakland County Board of Commissioners Chairperson, Ladies and Gentlemen: WHEREAS the Board of Commissioners, by Miscellaneous Resolution #90095, adopted the Oakland County Fiscal Policies Manual, including Revenue and Investment Policies administered by the Department of Management & Budget and the County Treasurer; and WHEREAS Michigan Compiled Laws (MCL) 48.40 specifies, " that the county treasurer shall receive all moneys belonging to the county, from whatever source they may be derived..." ; and WHEREAS cash handlers in over fifty different County locations processed more than 500,000 checks totaling almost $600 million in deposits in FY1999, including $7.2 million in cash alone; and WHEREAS, through a cooperative effort, the County Treasurer's Office and the Auditing Division have prepared a comprehensive Cash Handler Training Program to assist management in ensuring proper cash handling techniques are utilized by County employees; and WHEREAS the Training Program is designed to: 1) stress the importance of the role that employees play as cash handlers, 2) educate/reinforce knowledge of existing policies and procedures, as well as how to handle exceptions to the rule, 3) review the skills necessary to be a successful cash handler, and 4) provide a hands-on demonstration in locating security features on currency, checks, and credit cards; and WHEREAS the Municipal Treasurer's Association of the United States and Canada has indicated a willingness to certify Oakland County's Cash Handler Training Program provided the Program is deemed a mandatory requirement by the Board of Commissioners; and WHEREAS the County Executive and the County Treasurer recommend approval of this resolution. NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Oakland County Board of Commissioners amends Section V. Subsection D. Revenue Policies of the Fiscal Policy Manual to incorporate a mandatory Cash Handler Training Program for all cash handlers that process payments in the County. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Oakland County Cash Handler Training Program be submitted to the Municipal Treasurer's Association of the United States and Canada for appropriate certification. Chairperson, on behalf of the Finance Committee, I move adoption of the foregoing resolution. FINANCE COMMITTEE FINANCE COMMITTEE VOTE: Motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote with Palmer, Millard and Causey-Mitchell absent. Syllabus — Cash Handler Training Registration Materials • Letter of notification • Microsoft Access event management database • Attendee sign-in sheets • Name tags • Program Evaluations • Certificates of completion Seminar Materials (Handouts) • Cash handler training manuals • Cash Control Reconciliation Form (Sample) • Form #8300 — Report of Cash Payments Over $10,000 Received in a Trade or Business and instructions for completing same (Department of the Treasury — Internal Revenue Service) • Counterfeit Note Report (Department of the Treasury — United States Secret Service) • "New Designs For Your Money" -$20.00, $50.00, $100.00 (Department of the Treasury United States Secret Service) • "Counterfeiting and Forgery" (Department of the Treasury — United States Secret Service) • "Know Your Money" (Department of the Treasury — United States Secret Service) • Credit card security feature identification card — law enforcement version (Eagle Direct) • "Check Fraud Bulletin" (Frank Abagnale & Associates) • Annual review imprest cash — distibuted to non-county employees and discussed as time permits Note: Attendees are offered the opportunity to keep all handouts distributed and provided information on how to obtain more if interested. Presentation Materials • Microsoft PowerPoint Presentation • Flip charts utilized as part of the security feature identification demonstration for currency, checks, traveler's checks, credit cards, and Federal Reserve locations • Currency utilized as part of a hands-on security feature demonstration of $20.00, $50.00, and $100.00 notes • Magnifying glasses utilized as part of the hands-on security feature demonstration of currency, checks, and credit cards Note: The flip charts, currency, and magnifying glasses are distributed for use during training, and collected after the hands-on demonstration before the first break. Information is provided on cost and how to obtain the flip charts and magnifying glasses. Presentation Outline The presentation outline is provided as part of the cash handler training manual (first six pages), and provides a brief description of each PowerPoint presentation slide. Each category is briefly discussed here. Domin and Meiers 05/30/00 Introduction The presentation begins with an introduction of the trainers and acknowledging the sources of all materials utilized in the presentation. From there, the trainers note recognition that attendees come from a very diverse background and that some may be more experienced than others.- Trainers also invite attendees to present their experiences for discussion during the presentation. The trainers convey that it is hoped that everyone will walk away with having learned something. The introduction also includes a brief synopsis of the roles of the Treasurer and the cash handler. The role of the cash handler is further defined to stress the importance of successful performance of duties and responsibilities when acting as the County's representative and how they will benefit. The introduction concludes with a brief description of what the remainder of the presentation will contain. Pertinent aspects associated with cash handling will be discussed as well as discussion relating to the completion of cash, check, and credit card transactions in accordance with banking industry standards. Getting Started f2/ This category covers learning how to recognizing and counting currency, recognizing and processing, checks, and recognizing and processing credit cards. This is accomplished through a hands-on demonstration with presentation materials and handouts provided to attendees including currency in $20.00, $50.00, and $100.00 denominations. It should also be noted that trainers spend as much time as necessary during this segment to ensure that attendees become familiar with all security features provided on each instrument. Items covered in the first topic, learning how to recognize and count currency, include: • Matching denominations, portraits, and illustrations on currency • Brief history of the Federal Reserve District and current locations • Security features on old bills • Security features on new bills • Methods of receiving and disbursing currency and coin • Process associated with receiving cash payments in excess of $10,000.00 Items covered in the second topic, recognizing and processing checks, include: • Discussion on acceptable and non-acceptable check types • Contents of a check • The importance of the Federal Reserve District location denoted on the check • Types of security features provided on checks • Traveler's check verification • Stressing the importance of recording pertinent information Items covered in the third topic, recognizing and processing credit cards, include: • General instructions for credit card recognition • Security features provided on credit cards • Methods for processing credit cards Domin and Meiers 05/30/00 Closing Activities and Depositing Procedures This segment includes a walk through of the activities associated with closing at the end of the day. This includes items such as balancing and reconciling the cash drawer, preparing the deposit slip and associated financial system transmittal forms as well as readying the deposit and the different methods utilized for transporting. This segment also describes common errors that cause out-of-balance situations and reasons for hard-to-find errors. Security and Loss Prevention This final category stresses the importance of securing the cash handling area. Suggestions are provided on how to better secure cash handling areas. Trainers also recognize that circumstances and surroundings of the cash handling area will differ and that cash handlers should do the best they can with the resources they have available to them. Other topics in this segment include: • Handling mutilated currency and associated rules for redemption • Recognizing counterfeit currency and associated procedures for handling and reporting the receipt of counterfeit currency which include completing the "Counterfeit Note Report" • Robbery procedures (the do's and don'ts) — Proactive approach to preserving health and safety Conclusion Trainers conclude by providing a brief synopsis of the topics covered during the presentation and open the forum to questioning. At the conclusion of the question and answer period, trainers thank the audience and provide names and telephone numbers of individuals to contact in the event questions arise at a later date. At this time trainers will also request that the evaluation form be completed and turned in. Domin and Meiers 05/30/00 May 30, 2000 Municipal Treasurer's Association United States and Canada Cash Handling Certification Program 1029 Vermont Avenue, NW — Suite #710 Washington D.C. 20005 Subject: Request to Certify Cash Handling Training Seminar To Whom It May Concern: Please accept this letter of submission requesting certification of a cash-handling training seminar. This seminar has been developed in a joint effort between the Oakland County Treasurer's Office and Auditing Division, and has been presented to 250+ County employees as well as 90+ members of the Michigan Municipal Treasurer's Association. The purpose of this seminar is to assist management in ensuring proper cash handling techniques are employed by County employees, and to offer information to other municipalities interested in standardizing cash handling policies and procedures without having to re-invent the wheel. Promoting sound cash management practices is accomplished via a power point presentation that reinforces/educates the knowledge base of employees. It is designed to: 1) stress the importance of the role that employees play as cash handlers, 2) educate/reinforce knowledge of existing policies and procedures and handling exceptions to the rule, and 3) review the skills necessary to be a successful cash handler. In addition, the seminar includes a hands-on demonstration in locating security features on currency, checks, and credit cards. Along with the application for certification, I have attached the following for your review: • Legislation (MCL 48.40) • Cash handling training syllabus • Outline of the Power-point presentation (both internal and external presentations) • Four copies of both the internal and external cash handler training manuals as well as all presentation materials utilized. If you have any additional questions, please contact me at (248) 858-0624. Thank you in advance for your consideration in this matter. Very truly yours, Pat Dohany, Chief Deputy Treasurer PD/tam 0 MUNICIPAL TREASURERS' ASSOCIATION ;JEJlTED STATES E4 CANADA July 18, 2000 Pat Dohany, Chief Deputy Treasurer Oakland County, Michigan 1200 N. Telegraph Road, Dept. 479 Pontiac, MI 48341-0479 Dear Mr. Dohany: On behalf of the Cash Handling Committee of the Municipal Treasurers' Association (MTA), I would like to thank you for submitting your cash handling training program for consideration for our Cash Handling Program Certification. I congratulate you on pursuing this program, and am confident that the many Oakland County employees who have received the training are better off for it. Your program has been reviewed by three of our Cash Handling Committee members, including myself. We have comments that we hope will be beneficial as you further develop your program. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions regarding these comments. At this time, we are not recommending your Program for certification, for reasons discussed herein. Your training program is excellent; in fact the handouts you provide to your trainees exceeds even the Municipal Treasurers Association 's. The primary weakness that we find in your program is that there does not appear to be any certificationment. on the part of Oakland County cash handlers; there is no legislation or policy that_requires cash handlers to receive the training. The legislation you included (MCL 48.40) empowers the Treasurer to "receive all moneys belonging to the County"; the MTA Cash Handling Certification Program requires that there be local..legislation .or policies which require those employees who handle cash in the ordinary course . of their employment be certified by the Treasurer,land that those employees be required to deposit moneys in a tnn-ely manner. It would seem that your Cash Handling Training program could be adopted by your legislative or administrative policyrnakers rather easily and then your program would probably qualify for certification. Sample language for such legislation is included in the MTA Model Cash Handling Traininak_etnul. The WITA Cash Handling Committee believes that adopted legislation or policies such as this are critical to the success of the Cash Handling Program, as the questions of "what if the employee does NOT receive the training", or "what if the employee does NOT _deposit the funds. there are no apparent bases for eiforE6ifientriFc'otirse by the Treasurer against the department or employee in the materials you sent. 1029 Vermont Avenue, NW, Suite 710, Washington, X 20005 PHONE 202 -737-0660 FAX 202-737-0662 www.mtau WOTIRV7NT 01 avv-ryvn WIRT QCQ Qt7 T T174 fi7:77 nnfoT,an--- T 00 151 It was unclear from your submission whether the Cash Handler Training — An Informational Source for Cash Handlers document you forwarded in your application is provided to cash handler trainees. We believe that it is critical that cash handlers receive the information they are being trained on in paper form, so that they can have it at their work sites. I seem to recall that you provide the MTA Model Cash Handling Traininz Manual to your employees, but this was not clear in your application materials. We would include a few minor suggestions to improve your program. First, in your discussion of the "walk-through method of handling currency, you need to include the step of breaking the strap on currency bundles. Further, there are several references in your program to items which appear to be discussion items which would be better included in a County Cash Handling Policy, adopted by your administrative or legislative branches. For example, acceptance of your listed "non-acceptable Check Types (page 23)" should be against adopted County Policy. A further example, is the identification information on the face of the check (page 29). Is this a departmental policy, or a Countywide policy directed by the Treasurer? If the employee does NOT record the information on the check as prescribed, what happens? It is important to note that the points of negotiability of a check should not be altered by the Cash Handler. This should be included in your adopted Policy. In all, your fine b-aining program needs to be backed by authority. MTA certification requires that the Treasurer be empowered by legislation or policy to unilaterally de- certify or discipline an employee who does not receive the certification training, or who violates the adopted policy. You have obviously done outstanding work outside of the MTA Model, which will benefit your employees greatly. Again, we appreciate your submission and we congratulate you for your fine training program. As discussed in the Certification Application materials, you may submit your Program again within the next 12 months, without paying an additional application fee and we will be glad to review it again. We look forward to seeing you in the future and we hope that our comments will be helpful in improving your program. Sincerely, AñthoiiTFr~cI'sco, Chair MTA Cash 1-landing Committee Stacey Crane, MTA Executive Director CC: znorA Nausvau OD alVTIVO 019T ing RtZ T TVA VZ:ZT nAiRT/fin POIre • E FORE("-,OINC /art? .4 Patter -County Execut Daie '1011n...S•1•01•n=1, Resolution #00278 November 2, 2000 Moved by Taub supported by Jensen the resolutions on the Consent Agenda be adopted, the report accepted and appointments confirmed. AYES: Appel, Buckley, Causey-Mitchell, Colasanti, Coleman, Dingeldey, Douglas, Galloway, Garfield, Gregory, Jensen, Law, McCulloch, McPherson, Melton, Millard, Moffitt, Obrecht, Palmer, Patterson, Sever, Suarez, Taub, Amos. (24) NAYS: None. (0) A sufficient majority having voted therefor, the resolutions on the Consent Agenda were adopted, the report accepted and the appointments confirmed. STATE OF MICHIGAN) COUNTY OF OAKLAND) I, G. William Caddell, Clerk of the County of Oakland, do hereby certify that the foregoing resolution is a true and accurate copy of a resolution adopted by the Oakland County Board of Commissioners on November 2, 2000 with the original record thereof now remaining in my office. In Testimony Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of the County of Oakland at Pontiac, Michigan this 211,1 day of November, 2000. G. William Caddell, County Clerk