News

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President’s Message – February 2018

Sherri Voigt, CGFM, CPA

Our January lunch meeting featuring Sarah Loose and Andrew Justl from Baker-Tilly Virchow Kraus focused mainly on the 2018 changes in the tax code. It was an interesting insight for what deductions continue or end, and what the impact is on taxpayers. Thank you to all who came. Also, an extra thank you to those who donated cash/items to the Salvation Army.

We will be hosting the AGA National webinars on March 28 and April 11. Registration details will come out in March, but hold the date if these topics will help you. Each is 2 CPE, and will run from 1:00-2:50 CT.

  • March 28 Cybersecurity
  • April 11 Beyond the Code: Ethics in the Real World

The schedule is in the final stages for our Annual Spring Symposium on May 9. Brochures will be available soon and registration details will be on our website. See page 7 of the current newsletter for a preview of topics. This day will offer 7 CPE.

Sherri
🐱
=^..^=

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President’s Message – January 2018

Sherri Voigt, CGFM, CPA

Welcome to 2018!

Our January 25 lunch meeting is the Annual Tax Update. Sarah Loose from Baker Tilly Virchow Krause will be covering any changes for the 2017 tax year, and covering some highlights of the recent tax acts that will impact the 2018 tax filing season.

We will collect items for the Salvation Army at the January lunch meeting.  Commonly needed items are:

  • Adult T-shirts
  • Diapers – All Sizes (5 & 5 needed most)
  • Baby Bottles
  • Sanitary Items
  • Men’s deodorant

Diapers are a wonderful item to donate to families in need.

Donations from prior luncheons

The AGA Southern Chapter continues to support the Salvation Army Shelter and Community Center. Thank you AGA members and non-members for all of your wonderful support, it is greatly appreciated.

Our audio conference schedule for the year kicked off in December. Check out our calendar of events for the upcoming dates. These are 2 CPE each, and are free to members.

Planning and scheduling has been taking place for the Annual Symposium. There are some great topics lined up and a training brochure will be ready next month.

Mark your calendars now: Wednesday, May 9, 2018
UW-Madison Union South

We are always looking for topic and/or speaker ideas for lunch meetings and training sessions. If you have any ideas to share, please reach out to our Education Chair, Mary Laufenberg, at [email protected]

Sherri Voigt, CGFM, CPA
🐱 =^..^=

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January 2018 Luncheon Speaker

Sara Loose, CPA

Sara Loose, CPA
Senior Accountant

608-240-2535
[email protected]

Sara Loose, a senior accountant with Baker Tilly Virchow Krause, LLP, has been with the firm since January 2015.Sara Specializes in providing accounting and tax services to construction and real estate clients. Sara received her Masters of Professional Accountancy from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.

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January 2018 Luncheon – Thursday, January 25, 2018

Welcome Members and Non-Members

Thursday, January 25
Lunch Meeting

TOPIC: Annual Tax Update

SPEAKER: Sara Loose, CPA, Senior Accountant, Baker Tilly Virchow Krause LLP

REGISTRATION:  11:30 a.m. LUNCH: 11:45 a.m.

COST:  $6 for Members, $12 for Non-Members

PLACE:  Babe’s Restaurant, 5614 Schroeder Road, Madison,  Wisconsin 53711

MENU: Meals are served with house cut pub fries and include soda, coffee, or tea.

  •  Cheeseburger with cheddar cheese
  • Grilled chicken breast on a toasted Brioche bun with lettuce, tomato, pickle, and side of mayo
  • Club sandwich – three layers of whole wheat toast with ham, turkey, bacon, lettuce, tomato, and mayo

RESERVATIONS:  Register below or contact Sherri Voigt by 1 p.m. on Monday, January 22, 2018 with your name, membership status, meal choice (and for carpooling information) at (608) 266-2814 or e-mail.

NEW MEMBERS FIRST LUNCHEON MEETING IS FREE!

Membership Status(required)

New Member - First Luncheon?

Meal Choice(required)

Member Benefit – Members can bring their supervisor to one lunch meeting a year for free!!  This is our thank you to them for supporting member activity and training.

 

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December Audio Conference – Accounting & Financial Auditing Challenges/Best Practices

Welcome Members and Non-Members

December Audio Conference

 The Southern WI AGA Chapter is hosting a National Audio Conference on December 6. We pay for one group license and can certify CPE for anyone in attendance in the room. Physical attendance is required. If you would prefer to host your own session, there are group and individual registration options through the AGA National Office: https://www.agacgfm.org/Training-and-Events/Learn-Online/Webinars/2015-2016-Offerings/120617-auditing-quality-assurance.aspx

DATE:   December 6 | 1–2:50 p.m. | 2 CPEs

TOPIC:   Accounting & Financial Auditing Challenges/Best Practices

As identified in the numerous surveys, peer review reports, and inspection results produced by various accounting and audit groups, there are indications that practitioners are still trying to identify ways to effectively deal with many challenges that arise during the audit. During this webinar, the speakers will highlight a few of the challenges faced during financial statement audits of government agencies and discuss relevant standards and other resources that may be considered in addressing these challenges.

SPEAKERS:

  • Wendy Payne, MPA, CGFM, CPA, Executive Director, FASAB
  • Anne Sit-Williams, CPA, Assistant Director, Financial Management and Assurance, GAO 

Moderator: Berri Davis, CGFM, CPA, Director, Financial Management and Assurance, GAO

 Learning Objectives: Participants will be able to identify:

  • various accounting and auditing issues and challenges on a government financial statement audit and
  • some of the standards and other resources that may be considered to address those challenges

DATE:         Wednesday, December 6, 2017     1–2:50 p.m.

COST:     Free for Members, $10 for Non-Members

PLACE:  Wisconsin Department of Transportation, 4802 Sheboygan Avenue, Room 751

RESERVATIONS:  Contact Sherri Voigt by 11 a.m. on Monday, December 4, 2017 with your name, membership status, at [email protected] or register below. PayPal invoicing is available if your agency would like to use a P-Card.

Details about parking and security desk check-in will be sent a few days ahead of the event.

Membership Status(required)

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President’s Message – October 2017

President’s Message

Sherri Voigt, CGFM, CPA 

Hello!

We kicked off the program year with an excellent presentation from Wayne Block regarding Metro Transit and their operating/capital budgets. We have another great local government topic lined up for October 26…Mike Hanson, Patrol Operations Lieutenant with the Madison Police Department will be talking about budget issues, most specifically the funding for the drones. I hope to see many of you there.

The Southern Wisconsin AGA Chapter will be sending out a member survey in the next couple of months to get your input on training topics you would like have us provide. We are building out the remainder of the program year and looking to offer the best balance of topics for lunch meetings, national audio conferences, and the annual Symposium. (By the way…hold the date: the annual Symposium is scheduled for Thursday, May 9, 2018!) If you ever think of a topic that sounds interesting or see a speaker that is good, please feel free to drop a note to Mary Laufenberg, Education Chair ([email protected]).

We have two upcoming community service events. We will be collecting needed items for the Salvation Army shelter at the October lunch meeting. We will be having a group sign up to work at Zoo Lights at the Henry Vilas Zoo (ticket sales and gate greeting); shifts are open in November and December. (If you are interested in participating in the zoo event, please contact me at [email protected] since we will need to reserve a group volunteer slot by the end of October.)

Sherri

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October 2017 Luncheon – Thursday, October 26, 2017

Welcome Members and Non-Members

Thursday, October 26
Lunch Meeting

TOPIC: Madison Police Department, Police Drone Program, Expenditure and Budget Discussion

SPEAKER: Lieutenant Mike Hanson, Patrol Operations, Madison Police Department

REGISTRATION:  11:30 a.m. LUNCH: 11:45 a.m.

COST:  $6 for Members, $12 for Non-Members

PLACE:  Babe’s Restaurant, 5614 Schroeder Road, Madison,  Wisconsin 53711

MENU: Meals are served with house cut pub fries and include soda, coffee, or tea.

  •  Cheeseburger with cheddar cheese
  • Grilled chicken breast on a toasted Brioche bun with lettuce, tomato, pickle, and side of mayo
  • Club sandwich – three layers of whole wheat toast with ham, turkey, bacon, lettuce, tomato, and mayo

RESERVATIONS:  Register below or contact Sherri Voigt by 1 p.m. on Monday, October 23, 2017 with your name, membership status, meal choice (and for carpooling information) at (608) 266-2814 or [email protected].

NEW MEMBERS FIRST LUNCHEON MEETING IS FREE!

Membership Status(required)

If you are a new member and you are attending your first luncheon, it’s FREE! Please note this when making reservation.

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October 2017 Luncheon Speaker

ABOUT THIS MONTH’S SPEAKER

Lieutenant Mike Hanson

Mike Hanson is a Patrol Operations Lieutenant with the Madison Police Department.  Throughout his 16 years of service, he has had various positions including neighborhood Officer, Public Information Officer, Patrol Sergeant, Training Sergeant and Commander of the Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS).  The UAS program began in early 2017 as Mike built the team with a wide range of teammate talent.  Mike has an undergraduate degree in Public Relations and a master’s degree in Human Resource Management.