TOWNSHIP OF JACKSON NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2019
Note 1. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (continued)
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 adopts 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 their financial statements in accordance with GAAP and thus do not comply with all of the GASB pronouncements. The following GASB pronouncement effective for the current year did have a significant impact on the Township’s financial statements.
Statement No. 91, Conduit Debt Obligations, provides a single method of reporting conduit debt obligations by issuers and eliminates diversity in practice associated with (1) commitments extended by issuers, (2) arrangements associated with conduit debt obligations, and (3) related note disclosures. In accordance with GASB Statement 95 noted below the requirements of this Statement will be effective for reporting periods subsequent to the date of this report. Management does not expect this Statement to have a material impact to the Municipality’s financial statements.
Statement No. 95, Postponement of The Effective Dates of Certain Authoritative Guidance, provides temporary relief to governments and other stakeholders in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. That objective is accomplished by postponing the effective dates of certain provisions in Statements and Implementation Guides that first became effective or are scheduled to become effective for periods beginning after June 15, 2018, and later.
Note 2. Deposits and Investments
The Township is governed by the deposit and investment limitations of New Jersey state law.
Deposits
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
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