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Investment Policy for the Town of Candor
- I. SCOPE
This investment policy applies to all moneys and other financial resources
available for investment on its own behalf or on behalf of any other entity or individual.
- II. OBJECTIVES
The primary objectives of the local government's investment activities are, in
priority order,
- * to conform with all applicable federal, state and other legal requirements
(legal);
- * to adequately safeguard principal (safety);
- * to provide sufficient liquidity to meet all operating requirements (liquidity); and
- * to obtain a reasonable rate of return (yield).
- III. DELEGATION OF AUTHORITY
The governing board's responsibility for administration of the investment
program is delegated to the Town Supervisor who shall establish written procedures for
the operation of the investment program consistent with these investment guidelines.
Such procedures shall include an adequate internal control structure to provide a
satisfactory level of accountability based on a data base or records incorporating
description and amounts of investments, transaction dates, and other relevant information
and regulate the activities of subordinate employees.
- IV. PRUDENCE
All participants in the investment process shall seek to act responsibly as
custodians of the public trust and shall avoid any transaction that might impair public
confidence in the Town to govern effectively.
Investments shall be made with judgment and care, under circumstances then
prevailing, which persons of prudence discretion and intelligence exercise in the
management of their own affairs, not for speculation, but for investment, considering the
safety of the principal as well as the probable income to be derived.
All participants involved in the investment process shall refrain from personal
business activity that could conflict with proper execution of the investment program, or
which could impair their ability to make impartial investment decisions.
- V. DIVERSIFICATION
It is the policy of the Town to diversify its deposits and investments by financial
institution, by investment instrument, and by maturity scheduling.
- VI. INTERNAL CONTROLS
It is the policy of the Town for all moneys collected by any officer or employee of
the government to transfer those funds to the Town Supervisor or Town Clerk within __
days of deposit, or within the time period specified in law, whichever is shorter.
The Town Supervisor is responsible for establishing and maintaining an internal
control structure to provide reasonable, but not absolute, assurance that deposits and
investments are safeguarded against loss from unauthorized use or disposition,
authorization and recorded properly, and are managed in compliance with applicable laws
and regulations.
- VII. DESIGNATION OF DEPOSITARIES
The banks and trust companies authorized for the deposit of monies up to the
following maximum amounts are:
| Depository Name |
Maximum Amount |
Officer |
| Tioga State Bank |
$1,000,000.00 |
Rose Blinn |
| Chemung Canal Trust Co. |
$1,000,000.00 |
Megan Horton |
- VIII. COLLATERALIZING OF DEPOSITS
In accordance with the provisions of General Municipal Law, Section 10, all
deposits of the Town, including certificates of insured under the provisions of the Federal
Deposit Insurance Act shall be secured:
- By a pledge of "eligible securities" with an aggregate "market value", or
provided by General Municipal Law, Section 10, equal to the aggregate
amount of deposits from the categories designed in Appendix A to the
policy.
- By an eligible "irrevocable letter of credit" issued by a qualified bank
other than the bank with the deposits in favor of the government for a term
not to exceed 90 days with an aggregate value equal to 140% of the aggregate
amount of deposits and the agreed upon interest, if any. A qualified
bank is one whose commercial paper and other unsecured short-term debt
obligations are rated in one of the three highest rating categories by at
least on nationally recognized statistical rating organization or by a bank
that is in compliance with applicable federal minimum risk-based
capital requirements.
- By an eligible surety bond payable to the government for an amount at
least equal to 100% of the aggregate amount of deposits and the agreed
upon interest, if any, executed by an insurance company authorized to
do business in New York State, whose claims-paying ability is rated in the
highest rating category by at least two nationally recognized statistical
rating organizations.
- IX. SAFEKEEPING AND COLLATERALIZATION
Eligible securities used for collateralizing deposits shall be held by bank subject
to security and custodial agreements.
The security agreement shall provide that eligible securities are being pledged to
secure local government deposits together with agreed upon interest, if any, and any costs
or expenses arising out the collection of such deposits upon default. It shall also provide
the conditions under which the securities may be sold, presented for payment, substituted
or released and the events, which will enable the local government to exercise its rights
against the pledged securities. In the event that the securities are not registered or
inscribed in the name of the local government, such securities shall be delivered in a form
suitable for transfer or with an assignment in blank to the Tioga State Bank or its
custodial bank.
The custodial agreement shall provide that securities held by the bank or trust
company, or agent of and custodian for, the local government, will be kept separate and
apart from the general assets of the custodial bank or trust company and will not, in any
circumstances, be commingled with or become part of the backing for any other deposit
or other liabilities. The agreement should also describe that the custodian shall confirm
the receipt, substitution or release of the securities. The agreement shall provide for the
frequency of revaluation of eligible securities and for the substitution of securities when a
change in the rating of a security may cause ineligibility. Such agreement shall include
all provisions necessary to provide the local government a perfected interest in the
securities.
- X. PERMITTED INVESTMENTS
As authorized by General Municipal Law, Section 11, the Town authorizes the
Town Supervisor to invest moneys not required for immediate expenditure for terms not
to exceed its projected cash flow needs in the following types of investments:
- * Special time deposit accounts;
- * Certificates of deposit;
- * Obligations of the United States of America;
- * Obligations guaranteed by agencies of the United States of America where
the payment of principal and interest are guaranteed by the Unites States
of America;
- * Obligations of the State of New York;
- * Obligations issued pursuant to LFL Section 24.00 or 25.00 (with approval
of the State Comptroller) by any municipality, school district or district
corporation other than the Town;
- * Obligations of public authorities, public housing authorities, urban
renewal agencies and industrial development agencies where the general
State statutes governing such entities or whose specific enabling
legislation authorizes such investments.
- * Certificates of Participation (COPs) issued pursuant to GML,
Section 109-b,
- * Obligations of this local government, but only with moneys in a
reserve fund established pursuant to GML, Section 6-c, 6-d, 6-e,
6-g, 6-h, 6-j, 6-k, 6-1, 6-m, or 6-n.
- All investment obligations shall be payable or redeemable at the option of the
Town within such times as the proceeds will be needed to meet expenditures for purposes
for which the moneys were provided and, in the case of obligations purchased with the
proceeds of bonds or notes, shall be payable or redeemable at the option of the Town
within two years of the date of purchase.
- XI. AUTHORIZED FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS AND DEALERS
The Town shall maintain a list of fmancial institutions and dealers for investment
purposes and establish appropriate limits to the amount of investments, which can be
made with each financial institution or dealer. All financial institutions with which the
local government conducts business must be credit worthy. Banks shall provide their
most recent Consolidation Report of Condition (Cal Report) at the request of the Town.
Security dealers not affiliated with a bank shall be required to be classified as reporting
dealers affiliated with the New York Federal Reserve Bank, as primary dealers. The
Town and maintaining a listing of proposed depositaries, trading partners and custodians.
Such listing shall be evaluated the least annually.
- XII. PURCHASE OF INVESTMENTS
The Town Supervisor is authorized to contract for the purchase of investments:
- Directly, including through a repurchase agreement, from an authorized
trading partner.
- By participation in a cooperative investment program with another
authorized governmental entity pursuant to Article 5G of the General
Municipal Law where such program meets all the requirements set forth in
the Office ofthe State Comptroller Opinion No. 88-46, and the specific
program has been authorized by the governing board.
- By utilizing an ongoing investment program with an authorized tracking
partner pursuant to a contract authorized by the governing board.
- All purchased obligations, unless registered or inscribed in the name of the local
government, shall be purchased through, delivered to and held in the custody of a bank or
trust company. Such obligations shall be purchased, sold or presented for redemption or
payment by such bank or trust company only in accordance with prior written
authorization from the officer authorized to make the investment. All such transactions
shall be confirmed in writing to the (unit of government) by the bank or trust company.
Any obligation held in the custody of a bank or trust company shall be held pursuant to a
written custodial agreement in General Municipal Law, Section 10.
The custodial agreement shall provide that securities held by the bank or trust
company, as agent of and custodian for, the local government, will be kept separate and
apart from the general assets ofthe custodial bank or trust company and will not, in any
circumstances, be commingled with or become part of the backing for any other deposit
or other liabilities. The agreement shall describe how the custodian shall confirm the
receipt and release of the securities. Such agreement shall include all provisions
necessary to provide the local government a perfected interest in the securities.
- XIII. REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS
Repurchase agreements are authorized subject to the following restrictions:
- * All repurchase agreements must be entered into subject to master
Repurchase Agreement.
- * Trading partners are limited to banks or trust companies authorized to do
business in New York State and primary reporting dealers.
- * Obligations shall be limited to obligations of the United States of America
and obligations of agencies of the United States of America where
principal and interest are guaranteed by the United States of America.
- * No substitution of securities will be allowed.
- * The custodian shall be a party other than the trading partner.
Appendix A
Schedule of Eligible Securities
- (i) Obligations issued, or fully insured or guaranteed as to the payment of
principal and interest, by the United States of America, an agency thereof
or a United States government sponsored corporation.
- (ii) Obligations issued or fully guaranteed by the International Bank for
Reconstruction and Development Bank, the Inter-American Development
Bank, the Asian Development Bank and the African Development Bank.
- (iii) Obligations partially insured or guaranteed by any agency of the
United States of America, at a proportion of the Market Value of the
obligation that represents the amount of the insurance or guaranty.
- (iv) Obligations issued or fully insured or guaranteed by the State of New
York, obligations issued by a municipal corporation, school district or
district corporation of such State or obligations of any public benefit
corporation which under a specific State statute may be accepted as
security for deposit of public moneys.
- (v) Obligations issued by states (other that the State of New York) of the
United States rated in one of the three highest rating categories by at least
one nationally recognized statistical rating organization.
- (vi) Obligations of Puerto Rico rated in one of the three highest rating
categories by at least one nationally recognized statistical rating
organization.
- (vii) Obligations of counties, cities and other governmental entities of a
state other than the State of New York having the power to levy taxes that
are backed by the full faith and credit of such governmental entity and
rated in one of the three highest rating categories by at least one nationally
recognized statistical rating organization.
- (viii) Obligations of domestic corporations rated in one of the two highest
rating categories by at least one nationally recognized statistical rating
organization.
- (ix) Any mortgage related securities, as defined in the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, which may be purchased by banks
under the limitations established by bank regulatory agencies.
- (x) Commercial paper and bankers' acceptances issued by a bank, other
than the Bank, rated in the highest short term category by at least one
nationally recognized statistical rating organization and having maturities
of not longer than 60 days from the date they are pledged.
- (xi) Zero coupon obligations of the United States government marketed as
"Treasury strips".
I, Connie M. Kulze, Town Clerk of the Town of Candor, County of Tioga, State
of New York, do hereby certify that the foregoing is a true and complete copy of the
amended policy adopted by the Town Board of said Town at a regular meeting thereof,
held Tuesday, January 13,2009.
Dated: January 13,2009
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