Resolution 2714-00
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RESOLUTION NO. 2714-00
A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
OF THE SOUTH TAHOE PUBLIC UTILITY DISTRICT
ADOPTING A STATEMENT OF INVESTMENT POLICY
5 BE IT RESOLVED, by the Board of Directors of the South Tahoe Public Utility
6 District, County of EI Dorado, State of California, as follows:
7 WHEREAS, the South Tahoe Public Utility District enters into various investments
8 from time to time on behalf of the District; and
9 WHEREAS, the South Tahoe Public Utility District staff wish to update the
10 Statement of Investment Policy to enhance the South Tahoe Public Utility District's
11 opportunities for prudent and systematic investments.
12 NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, by the Board of Directors of the South Tahoe
13 Public Utility District that:
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The attached Statement of Investment Policy is hereby adopted and becomes a
15 part of this Resolution by reference herein.
16 PASSED AND ADOPTED by the Board of Directors of the South Tahoe Public Utility
17 District at a duly held regular meeting on the 21 st Day of December, 2000 by the
Wallace, Jones, Strohm, Gochnauer, Mosbacher
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CHRISTOPHER H. STROHM, BOARD PRESIDENT
SOUTH TAHOE PUBLIC UTILITY DISTRICT
E BOARD AND
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
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SOUTH TAHOE PUBLIC UTILITY DISTRICT
STATEMENT OF INVESTMENT POLICY
I. Statement of Intent
This statement of investment policy is adopted to establish an overall policy and
procedures for the management and investment of surplus or idle funds of the South
Tahoe Public Utility District. This policy is effective as of its adoption by the Board
of Directors. It will be reviewed by the Board and readopted at least once each year.
II. Scope of Policy
This policy covers all funds and investment activities under the direct authority of the
District. It does not cover funds related to District borrowing, which are controlled by
documents related to each debt issue.
III. Objectives
The basic objectives of the District's investment policy are, in order of priority:
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. Safety: Investments shall be made in a manner which first seeks to ensure the
preservation of capital in the overall portfolio. Each investment transaction shall
seek to first ensure that capital losses are avoided, whether they be from securities
defaults or erosion of market value.
. Liquidity: Investments shall be made whose maturity date is compatible with
cash flow requirements. An adequate percentage of the portfolio should be
maintained in liquid short-term securities which can be converted to cash if neces-
sary to meet disbursement requirements. Since all cash requirements cannot be
anticipated, investments in securities with active secondary or retail markets is
highly recommended. Emphasis is on marketable securities with low sensitivity to
market risk.
. Return on Investment: Yield should become a consideration only after the basic
requirements of safety and liquidity have been met.
. Diversification: The investment portfolio shall be diversified to avoid incurring
unreasonable and avoidable risks regarding specific security types or individual
financial institutions. The portfolio shall also be diversified with respect to the
term of individual investments purchased by the District.
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. Public Trust: All participants in the investment process shall act as custodians of
the public trust. Investment officials shall recognize that the investment portfolio
is subject to public review and evaluation. The overall program shall be designed
and managed with a degree of professionalism that is worthy of the public trust.
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IV. Prudence
The District adheres to the guidance provided by the "prudent investor rule," which
obligates a fiduciary to "act with the care, skill, prudence, and diligence under the
circumstances then prevailing, specifically including, but not by way of limitation, the
general economic conditions and the anticipated needs of the trust and its
beneficiaries, that a prudent person acting in the like capacity and familiar with such
matters would use in the conduct of an enterprise of like character and with like
aims..." [Civil Code ~2261(a)]
v. Delegation of Authority
The Chief Financial Officer is designated as Investment Officer of the District, under
the direction of the General Manager. In the Chief Financial Officer's absence, the
Accounting Manager shall act as the Investment Officer. The Chief Financial Officer
shall develop and maintain written administrative procedures for the operation of the
investment program, consistent with this investment policy.
VI. Internal Controls
The Chief Financial Officer shall establish a system of written internal controls,
which will be reviewed annually by the independent auditor. The controls will be
designed to prevent loss of public funds due to fraud, error, misrepresentation,
unanticipated market changes or imprudent actions. Controls deemed most important
include: minimization of opportunities for collusion, separation of duties, separating
transaction authority from accounting and record keeping, custodial safekeeping,
avoidance of bearer-form securities, specific limitation regarding securities losses and
remedial actions, written confirmation of all transactions, minimizing the number
of authorized investment officials, documentation of transactions and strategies, and
proper review and approval of brokerage accounts and investment transactions.
VII. Reporting
The Finance Division shall submit a monthly investment report to the Board of
Directors. The report will include the following information:
. Type of investment
. Institution
. Maturity date
. Amount of deposit or cost of security
· Current market value of securities with maturity over 12 months
. Rate of interest
· Statement affirming that all investments conform to the policy
· Statement that there are sufficient funds for the next 30 days' objectives
VIII. Eligible Investments as Per Government Codes 53601 and 53635
The Chief Financial Officer shall invest District moneys as directed by this policy and
only in the investments specifically authorized in this section.
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. Investments and Limitations:
PERMITTED INVESTMENTS/DEPOSITS
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Government Code ~53601 and 53635
U.S. government securities
(treasuries, agencies,
instrumentalities) .................... Unlimited
Certificates of deposit ................. Unlimited
LAIF . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . LAIF maximum (presently $20M)
Passbook accounts .... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. Unlimited; must be collateralized
County pooled funds .................. Unlimited
Commercial paper of" prime" quality
of the highest ranking or highest
rating ............................. 15 % of portfolio
Shares of beneficial interest issued
by diversified management com-
panies investing in securities and
obligations
MTN - Medium term corporate notes/
bonds issued by corporations operating
within the UnitectStates ............... 15% of portfolio
Bankers acceptance ................... 40% of portfolio
Repurchase agreements. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N/A
· Term of Investments: The term of any investment may not exceed three years
without express authority from the Board of Directors for each such investment.
· Prohibition on Floating Rate: The District may purchase U.S. government secu-
rities which are discount or securities bearing interest at a fixed rate; no floating
rate securities may be purchased for investment of District funds.
· Investment Policies of Pools: The District shall review at least annually the in-
vestment policies of LA IF and the El Dorado County investment pool to ascertain
that its funds in these pools are invested in accordance with the District's invest-
ment objectives. The District shall also review the provisions of these investment
policies requiring internal controls on the investment process to ascertain that
there is a division of responsibility in the investment procedures. The District
shall not invest in pools which do not provide adequate information on their in-
vestment policies and practices.
IX. Leveraging
No representative of the District is authorized to engage in margin transactions nor
reverse repurchase agreements or any other form of borrowing money for investment
purposes under any circumstances.
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X. Banks and Securities Dealers
In selecting financial institutions for the deposit or investment of District funds, the
Chief Financial Officer shall consider the creditworthiness of institutions. The Chief
Financial Officer shall continue to monitor financial institutions' credit characteristics
and financial history throughout the period in which District funds are deposited or
invested.
Each financial institution must certify to the District in writing that it has received and
read a copy ofthe District's investment policy and that it will comply with that policy
in its investment recommendations to the District.
XI. Ethics and Conflicts of Interest
Officers and employees 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. Such
employees and investment officials shall disclose to the District Board and the
General Manager any material financial interests in financial institutions that conduct
business within the District, and they shall further disclose any large personal finan-
cial/investment positions that could be related to the performance of the District's
portfolio.
Adopted 12/16/99
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