SI MONTHLY NEWS October 2006 Treasurer's Report
From SI Exco News
Treasurer's report
Ömer, our SI treasurer, has done a fairly comprehensive report on his work. The complete report is attached at the end of this Servas Monthly News.
Dear Servas Key People,
Who am I?
I am Ömer Özkan, I am Servas International Treasurer.
I was first elected in Barcelona General Assembly in 2004. I nominated myself again in 2006 and was re-elected.
I want to thank you, all the people who supported and encouraged me.
I was born in Marmaris on the south west coast of Turkey. I studied computer Engineering in Ankara and worked for 3 years.
Now I live in Istanbul and have been working in HSBC Bank IT department for 7 years.
I married Evren in 2004 and we had a baby in 2006. Ilke is now 9 months old and her grandmother is helping to look after her.
(From editor: Welcome to our new Servas member who is acting as a very cheerful assistant to the treasurer!)
What are the Treasurer's tasks?
Servas International Statutes say:
4) The Treasurer shall:
a) keep the financial accounts and records of Servas International and arrange for auditing;
b) send out invoices and collect money owing to Servas International;
c) submit an annual financial report to the Executive Committee; and
d) collect financial information from member groups.
In the case of an Assistant Treasurer being elected by the General Assembly or appointed by the Executive Committee, the Treasurer nevertheless carries the final responsibility for the duties of Treasurer.
Where is the Servas money?
At the end of 2005 we had nearly 200,000 CHF. After the EGA and some Exco expenses in 2006 we now have 106,000 CHF in our Bank account. Also some countries still owe money to Servas International. After those payments the bank account will increase by 75000 CHF. The money is banked in Switzerland at the Credit Suisse bank.
For detail and history of Credit Suisse go to:
Source: www.wikipedia.org
What happened in the EGA LATINA about Finance?
Finance and Budget workshops were moderated by Penny Pattison from Canada.
Here are the brief proposals from Servas Member Countries:
F-01
| FINANCE & ADMINISTRATION Motions from Workshop Sessions DAY1-4W & DAY2-2W
| .
|
|---|---|---|
| F-01-01 | Adopt the financial operating procedures developed in Barcelona | GER-016 |
| F-01-01 | Review the Servas International Financial Operating Procedures of March 2005, any amendments and approve the amended document for use as the Servas International Financial Operating Procedures Handbook | USA-004 |
| F-01-02 | Have S.I.'s bank account opened in Euro area | FRA-003,ITA-008 |
| F-01-03 | No longer have S.I. registered with a private person | FRA-002 |
| F-01-04 | Create a Permanent Paid Accountant position | CAN-004 |
| F-01-05 | Annual grants to countries with less than 20 members or where no fees are charged | BOT-003 |
| F-01-06 | Find & set up new ideas and strategies for S.I. to support itself financially more than just the Servas stamps | EGY-005 |
| F-01-06 | Totally rework the financial system to assure the future development of Servas | FRA-010,GER-018 |
Here are the decisions taken by General Assembly
• Approved Version 2.0 of the Financial Operating Procedures.
• people nominated for the position of Servas International Treasurer must have financial management or accounting experience.
• If the Servas International Treasurer or Exco believe that the Treasurer cannot meet his/her commitment, a member of the Audit Committee will take over the role and step down from the Audit Committee for that year.
• If at any time there is no qualified Servas International Treasurer, then EXCO may hire and pay a temporary accountant.
• the General Assembly asked the SI Treasurer in conjunction with the Audit Committee, to research closing the Swiss bank account and opening accounts in a Euro country, and proceed accordingly.
• the GA asked the SI Treasurer in conjunction with the Audit Committee to research Ethical Banks, identify those to which the SI accounts could be moved, and proceed accordingly.
• the address (legal seat) of SI in the Statutes be recorded only as “Zurich Switzerland”.
• the GA give EXCO the authority to give annual grants of up to US $200 to countries that apply for them. Such countries must provide an activity report.
for countries who cannot provide receipts or financial documents ] from the Minutes, France: Would it be fair to ask for a financial report? ≠ Botswana: Not possible in some countries to get receipts for things like email use. Therefore we need to rely on faith
• the GA asked Exco to research ways to restructure SI income to assure the system is fair and sustainable for all National Groups.
• GA received the un-audited accounts for 2004 as presented by the SI Treasurer with the accounts labeled as interim un-audited statements of accounts and dated.
• GA received the report of the SI Treasurer on the state of the accounts and the auditing of them acknowledging the difficulties encountered and the Action
• GA endorsed the Treasurer’s Action Plan to have the Accounts and Auditors Report for 2004 completed by August 31, 2006.
Treasurer’s Action Plan:
• Obtain an updated English Language accounting software to replace the Hungarian version
• Complete the draft financial Statements
• send soft copies for Audit Committee with copies to National Secretaries
• National Secretaries to indicate confirmation of their having received the reports and to make appropriate comments.
• Exco confirm appointment of external auditors
• begin the external audit
• External Audit to send the results to Exco for a distribution to National Secretaries
• “to have the audited accounts and the auditors reports submitted to the member groups for a vote by the first Distant Vote, which will be specified in the distant vote schedule to be prepared by Exco.”
• that there be no change in the fees of SI
• That the GA empower Exco to appoint and pay for an independent auditor.
• That the GA empower the following members of Exco to sign on behalf of SI: Treasurer; President; Vice President; General Secretary.
[two signatures required as per Statute]
The Treasurer’s signature must be one of the two signatures.
• That the GA empower Exco to implement the decisions of this GA as the program of activities of SI until the next GA.
• That the GA adopt the budget as approved in Barcelona, for 2006 and 2007 and including the budget decisions made by the GA in Italy 2006. The 2008 and 2009 budgets will be approved by Distant Vote.
The GA approve for 2006 a budget of 8000 CHF for handling ICT project for the year 2006 and a budget of 12000 CHF for 2006 and 2007 for Youth Project.
What about the Internal Audit?
The Accounting is completed and the Audit Committee is now working on the details of the accounts. As soon as an Internal Audit is completed the External Auditor will start working on the Audit.
Vasudev Pai, appointed as External Auditor, is from India.
What is the financial impact of the EGA?
We planned for 50,000 EURO and the EGA cost approximately 45,000 EURO. Thank you for the good financial management of Servas Italy to Mario Burlando, Anna Flamini and Claudio Pacchiega.
What about Finance of 2006?
The newly elected Exco started work. However the General Secretary and the Peace Secretary needed Computers to work properly. They followed the Financial operating procedures and in collaboration with the ICT and Audit Committees their Laptop purchase is approved.
Servas Germany paid their frozen 2003 Stamps
What are the plans for 2007?
We are working to prepare for budget 2008 and 2009. Follow this in the Servas Monthly News Letter which you can access on www.siexco.org.
What about DFC projects?
I am working in harmony with the Development Fund Committee (DFC). The DFC is indeed very important especially in relation to projects like the Youth Project.
How can a Servas country can get financial help?
Servas in your country may have so few travellers that there is not enough income to finance your expenditure. If this is so, you may ask for financial help from SI.
Please apply to Development Fund Committee on
dfc[at]servas.org
What is the budget for 2006 and 2007?
The amended budget for 2006/2007 is shown below.
The budget for 2008 and 2009 will be approved by distant vote in 2007 after study. Your help welcome. Please send an e-mail to exco[at]servas.org to work on this workshop.
Bugdget amendments in EGA 2006
Amounts are in Swiss Francs (CHS)
2006
| 2007
| Total
| |
|---|---|---|---|
| EXCO | 15.833
| 15.833
| 31.666
|
| AC | 8.500
| 8.500
| 17.000
|
| UN | 500
| 500
| 1.000
|
| ICT | 4.000
| 4.000
| 8.000
|
| other officer | 500
| 500
| 1.000
|
| auditor | 600
| 600
| 1.200
|
| printing | 13.667
| 13.667
| 27.334
|
| committees | 5.375
| 5.375
| 10.750
|
| projects | 1.333
| 1.333
| 2.666
|
| GA | 73.333
| 0
| 73.333
|
| others | 3.000
| 3.000
| 6.000
|
| Youth Project | 6.000
| 6.000
| 12.000
|
| DFC account | 7.500
| 7.500
| 6.000
|
| Total | 132.641
| 59.308
| 191.949
|
What are the rules to use for the budget of a Servas officer?
Please read the Financial Operating procedures which were approved in EGA Latina, 2006 Please put your budget to the Treasurer. Before you spend money on Travel or Projects please get approval from Exco and Treasurer.
• All officers must submit an activity and Financial report annually, otherwise your expenses will not be approved and you are responsible to return advances.
• For any doubt please ask the Treasurer, he would be very happy to help you in advance.
• SI pays 75% of the Internet costs.
What are the Financial Operating procedures?
The Financial Operating Procedures were prepared by the Audit Committee 2001-2004 with the decisions of GAs and Handbook of Servas.
Treasurers and some helpers have worked on it to improve the help for anybody who is using SI finance.
It has been approved by Exco 2004-2006 and run by SI Treasurer base on that motion.
Finally it was approved in the EGA Latina.
Please ask Treasurer for a copy.
How can I help Servas International?
Those people are volunteers and they need your help and support.
Ömer Özkan
SI Treasurer
15 October 2006
uploaded by Amelia
