This spring we offered four workshops from Jemez Springs to Taos on Audits and Budgets for Acequias. Thanks to all the Commissioners and Mayordomos who made the time to participate! Representatives from the Department of Finance Administration, Office of the State Auditor and NMAA got together to provide all of the information acequias need in order to be ready to receive funding or to account for it once they have it. Some major points covered include:
- All acequias are political sub-divisions of the state, and are thus public bodies and must comply with applicable state statutes (73-2-28).
- All acequias with annual revenue of $10,000 or less must file a Tier Certification form annually with the Office of the State Auditor (OSE).
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All acequias with annual revenue of $10,000 to $50,000 must also file the Tier Certification form with the OSE as well as submit an annual budget and quarterly budget reports to the Department of Finance Administration. Go to: http://nmdfa.state.nm.us/Forms_and_Pilot_Project_Forms_1.aspx
Then scroll down to "Special Districts" and click on the "Acequia Budget & Qtrly rpt forms" this will open a pre-programmed excel sheet to help you with the budget and report – save this to your computer. - Once an acequia has spent 50% or the remainder of Capital Outlay you become a Tier 3 acequia and have additional compliance requirements (Call NMAA for more info).
- Federal funds or any money that was managed by a fiscal agent does not affect your acequia's Tier determination.
- Please do not hesitate to call the NMAA for technical assistance in understanding your acequia's financial compliance requirements.
Be on the lookout for a series of workshops across the state in 2016 on Financial Compliance and funding options for acequias!