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CITY OF RAMSEY Notes to Basic Financial Statements December 31, 2014 NOTE 1 – SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES A. Organization The City of Ramsey, Minnesota (the City) operates under the Home Rule Charter City form of government as defined in Minnesota Statutes. Under this plan, the government of the City is run by a City Council composed of an elected Mayor and elected Councilmembers. The City Council exercises legislative authority and determines all matters of policy. The accounting policies of the City conform to accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America as applicable to governmental units. B. Reporting Entity As required by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America, these financial statements include the City (the primary government) and its component units. Component units are legally separate entities for which the primary government is financially accountable, or for which the exclusion of the component unit would render the financial statements of the primary government misleading. The criteria used to determine if the primary government is financially accountable for a component unit include whether or not the primary government appoints the voting majority of the potential component unit’s Board, is able to impose its will on the potential component unit, is in a relationship of financial benefit or burden with the potential component unit, or is fiscally depended upon by the potential component unit. 1.Blended Component Units The Ramsey Economic Development Authority (EDA) and the Ramsey Housing and Redevelopment Authority (HRA) are included as blended component units of the City (primary government). Financial data is reflected as separate Special Revenue Funds. The basis for blending the EDA includes: 1.) the component unit provides services entirely, or almost entirely, to the primary government or otherwise exclusively, or almost exclusively, benefits the primary government even though it does not provide services directly to it. Voting authority rests with the City Council. The basis for blending the HRA includes: 1.) the component units governing body is substantively the same as the governing body of the primary government and there is either a financial benefit or burden relationship between the primary government and the HRA. Both of these organizations are considered blended component units of the City and reported as though its funds were funds of the City. Separate financial reporting for these units is not produced in addition to this report. 2.Jointly Governed Organization The City is a member of Local Governmental Information Systems (LOGIS), a consortium of Minnesota municipalities that provides data processing services and support to its members. LOGIS is a legally separate entity that is financially independent of the City. Further, the City does not appoint a voting majority of LOGIS’ Board of Directors. Therefore, it has not been incorporated into the City’s reporting entity. During the 2014 fiscal year, the City paid LOGIS approximately $146,290 for services and equipment provided. C. Government-Wide Financial Statements The government-wide financial statements (i.e. the Statement of Net Position and the Statement of Activities) display information about the reporting government as a whole. These statements include all of the financial activities of the City. Governmental activities, which normally are supported by taxes and intergovernmental revenues, are reported separately from business-type activities, which rely to a significant extent on sales, fees, and charges for support. Page 63