2010 POPULAR ANNUAL FINANCIAL REPORT 4 The Henry County 14 Department Overviews Board of Commissioners 24 Financial Snapshot 5 About the Popular Annual Financial Report 26 The Local Economy General Henry County 6 Key Values and Government Information 32 Financial Reporting 8 Outstanding Achievement in Financial Reporting 34 Financial Management and Government Policies 10 Revenue Sources and Expenditures 35 Glossary of Terms 12 Transparent & Convenient: Henry County Online The Locust Grove Conference Center, purchased from the City of Locust Grove, is currently being converted into a joint conference and activity facility as well as senior center. HENRY COUNTY LEADERSHIP Board of Commissioners Elizabeth ‘B.J.’ Mathis Randy Stamey CHAIRMAN DISTRICT III Warren E. Holder Reid A. Bowman, Sr. DISTRICT I DISTRICT IV Monroe Roark Johnny B. Basler DISTRICT II DISTRICT V 4 www.henrycounty-ga.org About the PAFR The Popular Annual Financial Report of Henry County is presented as a means of increasing public understanding and confidence in County government and its elected officials through easier, more user-friendly financial reporting. As you review our PAFR, we invite you to share any questions, concerns or recommendations you may have. We are pleased to present the Henry County are intended to better inform the public about their Popular Annual Financial Report (PAFR) for the fiscal government’s financial condition, without excessive year ended June 30, 2010. As many governments and detail or the use of technical accounting terms. retail businesses do, Henry County runs its budget on This PAFR, which has been generated internally a “fiscal year,” rather than a calendar year. This is so we by the Henry County Financial Services Division and the can close the accounts during a slower time of the year Communications Department, summarizes and explains than December, when property tax is being received and the information contained in the financial statements for sales tax receipts are higher due to holiday shopping. FY 09-10, along with other information on the County’s The U. S. Government and State of Georgia run on a finances, in easily understood terms. The PAFR is fiscal year of October 1 to September 30. Henry County unaudited and does not conform to GAAP and chooses to run our fiscal year from July 1 to June 30, governmental reporting standards. along with 264 other counties and municipalities in Inside this year’s PAFR, you will find accounting Georgia. This report deals with the fiscal year that ran definitions that will help you understand the awards from July 1, 2009 to June 30, 2010, and is known we’ve won for previous PAFRs and CAFRs, general as FY 09-10. information about your County government, a brief The purpose of this Popular Annual Financial summary on Henry County’s economy, overviews from Report is to summarize and simplify information different government departments showing how some contained in the Comprehensive Annual Financial of your money was spent this fiscal year, financial Report (CAFR) of Henry County, which is due six government policies we follow, and finally, how well months after the close of the fiscal year. The County’s your County government did this year. financial statements are prepared in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) in the United States of America and are independently audited by Mauldin & Jenkins, CPA. The CAFR is available for review online at www.henrycounty-ga.org/Finance. Much of the information in the audited financial statements is necessarily technical and complex. As a result, the full financial statements may not be particularly useful to the citizens of Henry County who wish to better understand County finances. Five years ago, Henry County began issuing simplified financial reports, commonly referred to as Popular Annual Financial Reports (PAFR). These reports 2010 POPULAR ANNUAL FINANCIAL REPORT 5 HENRY COUNTY LEADERSHIP Your Government Henry County was formed in 1821 from Creek Indian lands. Georgia’s 50th county is located approximately 30 miles southeast of the City of Atlanta, and is considered part of the metropolitan Atlanta area. The County currently occupies 324 square miles of land and serves a population of more than 194,000. Four municipalities are located within Henry County: McDonough, which is the County seat, Stockbridge, Hampton, and Locust Grove. The governing authority of Henry County is a ELECTED OFFICIALS Board of Commissioners consisting of five members Sheriff Keith McBrayer elected by district and a Chairman elected at-large. The Tax Commissioner David Curry commissioners serve on a part-time basis and are District Attorney Tommy Floyd elected to staggered terms of four years. The Senior Superior Court Judge Arch McGarity commissioners are responsible, among other things, Superior Court Judge Wade Crumbley for passing ordinances, adopting the budget, Superior Court Judge Brian Amero establishing tax rates, appointing committees and Clerk of Superior Court Barbara Harrison hiring both the County’s manager and attorney. The Senior State Court Judge Ben Studdard III County Manager is responsible for the administration State Court Judge James T. Chaffin III of all of the affairs of the County over which he or she State Court Judge Ernest Blount has jurisdiction, including offering positions of State Court Judge Jason T. Harper classified employment, as well as appointing heads of Solicitor of State Court Charles Alan Spahos various departments. Magistrate Court Judge Robert Godwin Henry County provides a full range of services, Probate Court Judge Kelley Powell including law enforcement; corrections; the Coroner Greg Cannon construction and maintenance of public buildings, Surveyor Wayne Powers parks, streets, highways, bridges, storm water drainage facilities, and other associated infrastructure; parks and APPOINTED OFFICIALS recreational activities; 911 emergency communications; County Manager James “Butch” Sanders voter registration and elections; court systems; tax County Clerk Shay Mathis assessment and collections; building inspections; County Attorney LaTonya Wiley geographic information system; planning and zoning; Planning & Zoning Services Michael Harris recycling; and general administrative and Public Works Terry McMickle support activities. Social Services Angie Bailey The County provides police protection to the Financial Services Mike Bush unincorporated areas of the County and the City of Stockbridge. The County also provides fire protection and emergency medical services to all areas of the County except the City of McDonough, which has its own Fire Department. 6 www.henrycounty-ga.org 2010 POPULAR ANNUAL FINANCIAL REPORT 7 Outstanding Achievement Henry County has won the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting in all years that we have submitted a Popular Annual Financial Report for judging, dating back to 2006. 8 www.henrycounty-ga.org “The Government Finance In order to receive an Award Officers Association of the United for Outstanding Achievement in States and Canada (GFOA) has Popular Annual Financial Reporting, given an Award for Outstanding a government unit must publish a Achievement in Popular Annual Popular Annual Financial Report, Financial Reporting to Henry whose contents conform to County Board of Commissioners, program standards of creativity, Georgia, for its Popular Annual presentation, understandability and Financial Report for the fiscal year reader appeal. ended June 30, 2009. The Award An Award for Outstanding for Outstanding Achievement in Achievement in Popular Annual Popular Annual Financial Reporting Financial Reporting is valid for a is a prestigious national award period of one year only. We believe recognizing conformance with the our current report continues to highest standards for preparation of conform to the Popular Annual state and local government popular Financial Reporting requirements, reports. This is the fourth year that and we are submitting it to GFOA.” Henry County has received this prestigious award. 2010 POPULAR ANNUAL FINANCIAL REPORT 9 REVENUES & EXPENDITURES Revenue Sources Property Taxes • $74,111,909 Sales Taxes • $18,134,041 Other Taxes • $6,842,228 Licenses & Permits • $1,228,495 Intergovernmental • $2,828,473 Fines & Forfeitures • $4,382,249 Charges for Services • $13,550,460 Miscellaneous • $1,643,065 Investments • $95,621 Contributions • $62,356 Total General Fund revenues of the fiscal year, which ended June 30, 2010, were $122,878,897. Revenues of the prior year were $120,737,422. Revenues increased by $2,141,475.00 due to an increase in sales tax revenues as a result of a slight upturn in the local economy. 10 www.henrycounty-ga.org Expenditures Public Safety • $61,865,607 Public Works • $11,939,937 Health & Welfare • $6,005,433 Culture & Recreation • $7,113,640 Housing & Development • $3,863,487 General Government • $14,663,777 Judicial • $14,570,616 Total expenses during the year ended June 30, 2010 were $120,022,497. Expenditures of the prior year were $122,260,838. The decrease in expenditures of $2,238,341 is primarily related to a combined effort by all departments to tightly manage spending. 2010 POPULAR ANNUAL FINANCIAL REPORT 11 Transparent & Convenient The County’s website, and that citizens have a way to publishes regular press releases. www.henrycounty-ga.org received request public records online. According to its website, an A+ from the Sunshine Review, The Sheriff’s new website “Sunshine Review is a non-profit