Appropriation Reserves – Appropriation reserves covering unexpended appropriation balances are automatically created at year-end and recorded as liabilities, except for amounts, which may be cancelled by the governing body. Appropriation reserves and reserve for encumbrances at current year end are available until December 31st of the succeeding year to meet specific claims, commitments or contracts incurred during the preceding year. Any unspent balances at this time are lapsed appropriation reserves and recorded as income.

Long-Term Debt - Long-Term Debt relative to the acquisition of capital assets, is recorded as a liability in the General Capital Fund. Where an improvement is a “local improvement”, i.e. assessable upon completion, long-term debt associated with that portion of the cost of the improvement to be funded by assessments is transferred to the Trust Fund upon the confirmation of the assessments or when the improvement is fully and permanently funded.

Compensated Absences – Expenditures relating to obligations for unused vested accumulated vacation and sick leave are not recorded until paid; however, municipalities may establish and budget reserve funds subject to NJSA 40A:4-39 for the future payment of compensated absences.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements – The Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) is the accepted standard-setting body for establishing governmental accounting and financial reporting principles. GASB has recently adopted accounting statements to be used by governmental units when reporting financial position and results of operations in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. (GAAP). The municipalities in the State of New Jersey do not prepare financial statements in accordance with GAAP and thus do not comply with all of the GASB pronouncements; and there have been no GASB pronouncements effective for the current year that have a significant impact of the Township’s financial statements.

The Township is governed by the deposit and investment limitations of New Jersey state law.

Custodial Credit Risk Related to Deposits - Custodial credit risk is the risk that, in the event of a bank failure, the Township’s deposits may not be returned. Although the Township does not have a formal policy regarding custodial credit risk, NJSA 17:9-41 et seq. requires that the governmental units shall deposit public funds in public depositories protected from loss under the provisions of the Governmental Unit Deposit Protection Act (GUDPA). GUDPA is a supplemental insurance program set forth by the New Jersey Legislature to protect the deposits of local governmental agencies. The program is administered by the Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance. Under the Act, the first $250,000 of governmental deposits in each insured depository is protected by FDIC. Public funds owned by the Township in excess of FDIC insured amounts are protected by GUDPA. However, GUDPA does not protect intermingled trust funds such as salary withholdings, bail funds or funds that may pass to the Township relative to the happening of a future condition. Such funds are shown as Uninsured and Uncollateralized in the schedule below.

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