FINANCE&BUDGETING
August14-15,2023
MICHAELJOHANSMEYER
FIRECHIEF
WILLWATTS
EMERGENCYMANAGER (RETIRED)
SPONSORED BY:
FLORIDA FIRE CHIEFS’ ASSOCIATION
HOSTED BY:
Titusville Fire Department
To: ESLI participants
Reference: Finance & Budgeting
Greetings,
We want to thank you for your interest in the Emergency Services Leadership Institute program. We look forward to welcoming you to Finance & Budgeting, to be held on August 14-15, 2023, at the Titusville Fire Department, 550 S. Washington Avenue, Titusville, FL 32780.
Class will begin promptly at 0800 hours. This is one component of a comprehensive six-module program that is designed to better prepare you to deal with the management and leadership challenges that face the fire and emergency medical services today and in the years to come.
Attached you will find a program outline, which includes program information, a brief course description, and a list of competencies that will serve as the program’s expected outcomes. Please review this prior to class.
We hope to broaden your opportunity for learning by encouraging student input and interaction while addressing issues that are important to you.
We want to enhance the 'deliverables' that you can take back to your respective organization and immediately begin the process of implementation. To this end, we encourage you to peruse the subject content areas, and to bring to class your department policies relating to these topics. This will allow us to address real topics and better assist us in providing real solutions. Specifically, we ask that you bring information and/or be prepared to discuss your organization’s budget challenges, successes, and failures and on-going issues within this topic area. This program requires participant interaction and honest input to effective address and find solutions that are beneficial.
This program is structured to allow various teaching methodologies including lecture, class discussion, class presentation, group exercises, role-playing, and case study analysis / discussion. This content is best shared in dynamic manner encouraging questions, discussion, different opinions, and seeking best practice models.
The degree to which you prepare will determine the value you realize from the program.
Again, thank you for your interest in ESLI. We look forward to seeing you next week
TITLE: EMERGENCY SERVICES LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE FINANCE AND BUDGETING
Topics:
Budget Perspectives
Budget Types
Budget Development and Monitoring
Budget Policy Framework
Determining Budget Needs
Funding and Various Revenue Sources
Establishing Policy for Fees and Charges
Determining Capital cost and Associated Depreciation
Financial Diversification
The Importance of Meaningful Data
Developing Efficiencies through Best Practices
Managing the Effect of Budget Changes
Minimizing Service Reductions
Alternative Revenue Sources
Performance Measurement
Budget Presentation
Recent Budget Trends
Grant Writing and Grant Funding
FEMA Requirements and Reporting for Declared Emergencies
COURSE OUTLINE: A discussion on budgeting, and the funding process will focus on current trends in the fire and emergency service and creative methodologies to fund necessary organizational programs, and to serve as a basis for decision-making. The need to identify broad goals with interaction with the community stakeholders is addressed. The development of a policy to delineate fees and charges as they relate to the cost of the service will be addressed. This includes direct and indirect costs such as maintenance and operating costs and charges for use of capital, including depreciation factors.
An analysis of various perspectives relating to fire and emergency services budgeting will shed light on the complexities of this process. Recommended budgetary approaches will address the need to establish broad goals, develop the way these goals can be achieved, and evaluate budget performance, while being cognizant of the need to make necessary adjustments. Performance measurement, developing efficiencies and best practices will be offered as useful budgeting tools. This program will enable participants via team projects, role playing, and other interactive scenarios that place them in real-world, contemporary, and complex budget situations
The impact of budgetary policies, including strategic planning, long-term financial sustainability, and other financial policies will be covered. This program will focus on the normal budget process to the extent that abnormalities can be quickly determined and addressed, including the need to ‘downsize’ or minimizing service delivery, or to grow and enhance service delivery. Revenue sources will be outlined with a focus on revenue diversification, alternative funding sources, and recent trends. General guidelines will be shared to ensure a successful budget presentation. Related topics such as grant writing and grant funding and dealing with Federal Emergency
Management Administration procurement and fiscal guidelines and mandates before, during, and after declared catastrophic events will be addressed.
COMPETENCIES: A participant will:
• Be familiar with the general terms of the budgeting process.
• Possess the knowledge to assess community needs, priorities, challenges, and opportunities.
• Understand the budget development and monitoring process.
• Be able to identify various perspectives related to budgeting.
• Be able to develop a policy on fees and charges.
• Be able to plan for capital asset acquisition, maintenance, replacement, and retirement.
• Be able to differentiate various approaches to budgeting including establishing goals, evaluating performance, and making adjustments.
• Understand the concepts of performance measurement, developing efficiencies, performance benchmarking, and determining best practices in budgeting.
• Understand the relationship of strategic planning and other policy statement to the budget process.
• Comprehend the concept of long-term fiscal sustainability.
• Determine the need and process for enhancing or minimizing services.
• Be able to successfully prepare and present a budget in a clear user-friendly format.
• Understand the need for constant monitoring and adjustment.
• Evaluate the effect of changes to revenue source rates and bases.
• Be able to determine alternative and creative funding sources that can be used to enhance needed community services and programs.
• Understand and be able to draft a grant and facilitate the grant process.
• Comprehend FEMA procurement and fiscal mandates and guidelines and policies before, during, and after a declared catastrophic event.
Michael Johansmeyer, CFO, EFO is a 29-year fire service veteran and currently serves as Fire Chief – City of Lake Mary Fire Department. He earned his Master’s degree from the Naval Postgraduate School, Center for Homeland Defense and Security and a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Central Florida (UCF). He is a graduate and instructor for Executive Services Leadership Institute (ESLI) through the Florida Fire Chiefs' Association, a graduate of the Fire Services Executive Development Institute (FSEDI) and the National Fire Academy’s Executive Fire Officer Program (EFO)
William Watts retired from the City of Maitland as Fire Chief. He started in 2001 as an EMT/Firefighter and was promoted through the ranks in his 22 years. During Watts’ tenure as Chief, he led the department through accreditations from the Center for Public Safety Excellence and the Commission on Accreditation Ambulance Services. The department also achieved Class 1 status from the Insurance Service Organization under his leadership.
As the City’s emergency manager, Watts managed the emergency operations for the City through several tropical weather events and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Watts is married with two children and two stepchildren and lives in Winter Springs.
Watts holds a bachelor’s degree in emergency management from Waldorf University in Forest City, IA, and an associate degree in fire science from Columbia Southern University in Orange Beach, AL. He also holds Fire Officer II and Fire Instructor III from the State of Florida Fire Marshal’s Office.