Governor Phil Murphy • Lt. Governor Tahesha Way |
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Fire DistrictsRutgers University Center for Government Services: 55th Public Purchas - 02/06/2025 Rutgers University Center for Government Services is pleased to present the 55th Annual Public Purchasing Educational Forum. The Forum program offers purchasing professionals the latest and most relevant industry insights, the opportunity to earn up to 10 CEUs, and a valuable platform to network with peers and vendors. The event is scheduled on April 29, 30, and May 1, 2025, at the Resorts Hotel and Casino, Atlantic City. Enhance your Forum experience by attending the pre-conference seminar, "Green Purchasing: The Purchasing Professional's Guide to Sustainability" (3 CEUs). Presented by Sustainable Jersey, this informative session explores essential resources for a wide range of sustainable purchasing initiatives, including eco-friendly supplies, clean energy procurement, energy-efficient building upgrades, and fleet electrification. Join us on April 29 from 3:00 - 6:00 PM. We also offer a Valenti/Stanton Scholarship for the new QPAs. The principal aim of this scholarship is to offer financial support to the recently certified QPAs to attend the Annual Rutgers University Public Purchasing Educational Forum. For additional information and to register: https://cgs.rutgers.edu/programs/public-purchasing-educational-forum. For questions regarding this program: cgs@docs.rutgers.edu. New Jersey Office of the State Comptroller Regulation Readoption and R - 02/03/2025TRENTON - The Office of the State Comptroller (OSC) today announced the readoption and recodification of its regulations, along with rule amendments to improve and clarify the agency's oversight of public contracting and the NJ Medicaid program and prevent fraud, waste, and abuse of tax dollars. The Notice of Adoption can be found at R.2025 d.021, with recodification at N.J.A.C. 19:70. The recodified rules, which represent the first amendments since the agency's creation in 2008, clarify the public contracting requirements and processes for governmental entities. Specifically, OSC's Procurement Division has been renamed the Public Contracting Oversight (PCO) Division (link), the amendments clarify their applicability to cooperative purchasing systems as well as amendments, extensions, modifications, change orders, and renewals of contracts, they clarify the advisory, consultative, and deliberative nature of information communicated between OSC and contracting units during procurement reviews, and they require public entities seeking to award insurance contracts using the extraordinary unspecifiable services exception to bidding (meaning without a publicly advertised bidding process) must submit to OSC insurance broker contracts as part of the procurement review. By law, public entities must continue to send proposed contracts valued between $2.5 million and $12.5 million to OSC for post-award review, and proposed procurements above $12.5 million to OSC for pre-advertisement review, except for contracts funded by EO125 or EO166 which should be submitted to OSC according to the executive order, and emergency contracts meeting the cost threshold which should be submitted to OSC post-award. The recodified rules were based on feedback from the public and stakeholders to clarify and improve existing policies and procedures. For Additional Information Please Refer to: https://nj.gov/comptroller/about/rules/. For Questions Please Contact: contracts@osc.nj.gov. State of New Jersey Certified Public Manager - Spring 2025 - 02/03/2025Please join us for a Virtual CPM Open House on February 26, 2025. 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM Register using this link. https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/CPM_OpenHouse_12_19_24. The State of NJ CPM Program is administered by the NJ Civil Service Commission and delivered by Rutgers. The NJ CPM program consists of 22 mini courses offered one day a week for 10 months on a variety of public service topics and includes a work-related project that will benefit the participant's organization. Up to 15 undergraduate credits or 9 graduate credits can be applied toward a degree at Rutgers School of Public Affairs and Administration. All CPM graduates receive 30.2 CEUs. CPM participants gain the knowledge needed to tackle complex organizational challenges, manage their day-to-day operations more effectively, and grow as leaders. Tuition is $4100 per student. Payment plans are available. In person cohorts are scheduled in Westampton, starting March 13 and Newark, beginning on May 13. Classes are held from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. A virtual cohort is starting on April 16th. Classes are held weekly via Zoom from 8:30 AM to 1:30 PM, plus additional independent study work. For more information, contact Jane Sharp at cpmspaa@newark.rutgers.edu or 973-353-3979. http://spaa.newark.rutgers.edu/cpm. NJLM OFFERS Budgeting Webinars with DLGS - 02/13/2025
February 26, 2025 10:30am-12:00pm Location: Your Computer This webinar will review Budget and FAST Updates including: - Review of the Financial Automation Submission Tracking Solution (FAST) - Review recent Division of Local Government Local Finance Notices and review recent policies and regulations. - Get an update on CY 2025 budget issues and any legislation that may affect them - Review current issues affecting finance officers Presenters: Christine Zapicchi, Assistant Division Director, DLGS, Department of Community Affairs Matthew Gallello, CMFO, RMC, Administrative Analyst, DLGS, Department of Community Affairs CEUs: CMFO/CCFO-1.5 Bud; CPWM-1.5 Govt; RMC-1.5 Fin; QPA-1.5 Off Admin; CPA-1.5 Fin; NJCLE-1.8; PACLE-1.5; RPPO/RPPS-2.0 M/S Registration Information: https://www.njlm.org/Calendar.aspx?EID=421&month=1&year=2025&day=30&calType=0
March 14, 2025 9:00a.m.-12:45p.m. Location: Your Computer At this webinar, attendees will receive important updates and information from the Division of Local Government Services on the topics of Budgeting, Ethics, and Procurement. Presenters: Christine Zapicchi, Assistant Division Director, DLGS, Department of Community Affairs Matthew Gallello, CMFO, RMC, Administrative Analyst, DLGS, Department of Community Affairs Matthew Marthaler, Regulatory Officer, DLGS, Department of Community Affairs Michele Meade, Deputy Division Director, DLGS, Department of Community Affairs Aniyyah Maney, QPA, Procurement Specialist, DLGS, Department of Community Affairs CEUs: CMFO/CCFO-1.5 Budgeting, 1.5 Acct,1.5 Fin/Debt, 1.5 Eth; CTC, 1.5Gen/Sec, 1.5 Ethics; CPWM-2.0 GOVT, 1.5 Ethics; RMC-3.5 Finance, 1.5 Ethics; QPA-2.5 Office Admin./General duties, 1.5 P/P, 1.5 Ethics; CPA-1.5 Fin, 1.5 Acct, 1.5 Eth, **NJCLE-4.5 including 1.5 ETH, *PACLE-3.5 including 1.0 ETH; RPPO/RPPS- 3.0 P/P, 1.5 Eth, 1.5 M/S; CPC-3.5; Planning/Zoning Board Secretaries, Zoning Officials, and Land Use Administrators -1.25 Administrative Hours Registration Information: https://www.njlm.org/Calendar.aspx?EID=422&month=1&year=2025&day=30&calType=0 The WALL & Online Certified Payroll System - 11/25/2024 Local Finance Notice 2024-18, available at https://www.nj.gov/dca/dlgs/lfns/2024/2024-18.pdf, explains The Workplace Accountability in Labor List (The WALL) and the new electronic system for submitting certified payrolls for prevailing wage projects. A person placed on The WALL is prohibited from contracting with any public body until the liability for violations of State wage, benefit, and tax laws have been resolved to the satisfaction of the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development (NJDOL). Contractors must now submit certified payrolls through the NJDOL New Jersey Wage Hub, with contracting units also required to register on the system. Please review the Notice for further details on compliance. FY 2025 Local Efficiency Achievement Program (LEAP) Grant Announcement - 11/06/2024The Division of Local Government Services and New Jersey's Shared Services Czars are pleased to announce that applications are now being accepted for FY 2025 Local Efficiency Achievement Program (LEAP) Grants. LEAP affords an unprecedented opportunity to incentivize shared services implementation across New Jersey's local government entities, advancing the mission of the Shared Services Program. LEAP facilitates exploring and establishing shared services by providing counties, municipalities, school districts, commissions, authorities and fire districts assistance for the study or implementation of promising shared services projects undertaken pursuant to the Uniform Shared Services and Consolidation Act. Applications for LEAP County Shared Services Coordinator, Challenge, and Implementation Grants have a rolling application process. It is recommended that applications be submitted as soon as possible due to the LEAP program's popularity and funding availability of the FY 2025 LEAP appropriation. Grant applications are to be submitted through the Department of Community Affairs (DCA) System for Administering Grants Electronically (SAGE) at: https://dcasage.intelligrants.com/portal.asp under Grant ID: Local Efficiency Achievement Program (LEAP) 2025. Additional information about FY 2025 LEAP Program Guidelines, Grant Management Guidelines, applications, supplementary documents and additional detailed information is available at: https://www.nj.gov/dca/dlgs/programs/Leap_grants.shtml. New LFNs for Municipalities, Counties, and Fire Districts - 10/11/2024Local Finance Notice 2024-15 addresses issues related to CY 2025 Municipal and County Budgets and the 1977 and 2010 cap laws. It includes information on the 1977 cap law Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA, formerly called Index Rate) and the use of the COLA ordinance (resolution) and Group Health Insurance increase thresholds. The COLA for CY 2025 budgets is two and one-half percent (2.5%). The Group Health Insurance exception is 12.4% for the 1977 cap (N.J.S.A. 40A:4-45.3e) and 14.4% for the 2010 levy cap [i.e. the 2% cap]. Please review the Notice at https://www.nj.gov/dca/dlgs/lfns/2024/2024-15.pdf for additional details. Local Finance Notice 2024-16 (https://www.nj.gov/dca/dlgs/lfns/2024/2024-16.pdf) addresses the CY 2025 fire district budget process. Key updates include: - The Group Health Insurance exception is 14.4% for the 2010 levy cap [i.e. the 2% cap]. - As noted in Local Finance Notice 2024-11 (https://www.nj.gov/dca/dlgs/lfns/2024/2024-11.pdf), any Volunteer Incentive Programs subject to federal income tax must be budgeted under "Salary and Wages" with an accompanying "Fringe Benefit" for tax withholding, rather than as an operating cost under "Other Expenses". The 2025 Budget Document has been updated to facilitate this new requirement. Specifically, Sheet F-3 has been revised to include individual line items for Volunteer Incentive Programs Salary and Wages and Fringe Benefits. The Questionnaire on Sheet N-3 has been updated to include a question asking if the fire district has a Volunteer Incentive Program. If an affirmative response is provided for this question, the fire district shall upload into FAST a program outline together with a signed statement specifying when the board of fire commissioners formally adopted the program or, in lieu of a such a signed statement, a certified copy of the adopted resolution establishing the program. - For fire districts with November elections, please ensure that any capital item(s) approved by a resolution of the Board of Fire Commissioners carries a minimum two-thirds majority vote of the full membership of the Board per NJSA 40A:14-84. A two-thirds majority vote of the full membership of a Board of Fire Commissioners is 4 out of 5 commissioners. The Division will not accept a three-out-of-five vote for capital resolutions passed in 2025 to be budgeted in 2026. Notice sent to: Municipal & County CFOs; Municipal Managers/Administrators; County Administrators/Managers; Municipal Clerks; Clerks - County Boards of Commissioners; Fire District Officials; Auditor Listserv The State of New Jersey Certified Public Manager Program - Fall 2024 - 09/04/2024Rutgers - School of Public Affairs and Administration is pleased to announce that the State of New Jersey Certified Public Manager program will be offering three cohorts in Fall 2024. Fall 2024 - In-person Cohorts - Lawrence Twp. Fridays starting Oct. 25 - Atlantic City, Tuesdays starting Nov. 12 Classes are held from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM one day per week for 10 months. NJ-4 Virtual, Tuesdays starting Oct. 8th One day per week for 10 months, 8:30 AM - 1:30 PM via Zoom, plus 3 hours independent study. To apply to the NJ CPM program, applicants must complete, prepare, and submit the following: - Application Form - Professional Resume - Supervisor Statement of Approval - Personal Statement: Prepare a short essay (one to two typed double-spaced pages) expressing "Why are you interested in applying to the NJ Certified Public Manager Program" Admission to the New Jersey Certified Public Manager Program is processed on a rolling basis. Classes are held in various locations throughout the southern, central, and northern regions of New Jersey. Applications must be sent to the New Jersey Civil Service Commission for approval. Download an application form from: www.state.nj.us/csc/employees/training/classroom/cpm.html or www.spaa.newark.rutgers.edu/cpm Program Cost Tuition is $4,100 per participant. Price includes all program materials. For more information email: cpmspaa@Newark.Rutgers.edu NJ Treasury Grants Management Office - 09/06/2024 The New Jersey Department of Treasury Grants Management Office recently released its most current Grants Update, which identifies sources of federal grant funding opportunities. Local governments are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the Grants Management Office and its various resources, including the weekly Grants Update, grant-related training opportunities, and available state and federal grants. The Grants Management Office does not apply for or award any grants. Weekly Grant Update: https://www.nj.gov/treasury/grants-management/documents/Weekly%20Grants%20Update/GMO%20Grants%20Update%20Week%20of%20Aug%2026%202024.pdf Grants Management Office website: https://www.nj.gov/treasury/grants-management/ Prevailing Wage Threshold Increase & Online Certified Payroll Submissi - 08/06/2024In conjunction with the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development (NJDOL), the Division of Local Government Services reminds local governments and boards of education of two important statutory updates under the New Jersey Prevailing Wage Act (N.J.S.A. 34:11-56.25 et seq.) and the Public Works Contractor Registration Act (PWCR Act N.J.S.A. 34:11-56.48 et seq.): The Prevailing Wage Threshold: Contracts for public work that exceed a threshold of $19,375 as of July 1, 2024, for municipalities, and $2,000 for all other public bodies, are subject to both the Prevailing Wage Act and the PWCR Act. New Jersey Wage Hub - Governor Murphy signed into law S - 1442/A-5345, now P.L. 2023, c. 138, which requires public work contractor registration and payroll certification for public work projects to be completed online at https://njwages.nj.gov/. Public bodies must register their agency prior to August 15, 2024. In addition to receiving certified payrolls via the Hub, agencies must still receive certified payroll via hard copy from contractors and subcontractors. - Go to https://njwages.nj.gov/ to register. For assistance with registration, please email njwagehubinfo@dol.nj.gov. NJDOL has teams standing by to assist in the registration process. - NJDOL created instructional videos to assist both public entities and Public Work Contractors in the registration, creation of projects and uploading of online certified payroll on the NJ Wage Hub. The instructional videos are accessible online at https://nj.gov/labor/wageandhour/prevailing-rates/njwagehub.shtml.
These updates surround "public work", which is defined as: "construction, reconstruction, demolition, alteration, custom fabrication, duct cleaning or repair work, or maintenance work, including painting and decorating, done under contract and paid for in whole or in part out of the funds of a public body, except work performed under a rehabilitation program. "Public work" shall also mean construction, reconstruction, demolition, alteration, custom fabrication, or repair work, done on any property or premises, whether or not the work is paid for from public funds, if, at the time of the entering into of the contract the property or premises is owned by the public body or: - Not less than 55% of the property or premises is leased by a public body, or is subject to an agreement to be subsequently leased by the public body; and - The portion of the property or premises that is leased or subject to an agreement to be subsequently leased by the public body measures more than 20,000 square feet."
As part of the enforcement side of Public Work, please be aware that the NJDOL is authorized to issue Stop Work Orders on any public work project that is not compliant with Prevailing Wage and the PWCR Act.
More information and resources are available at https://njwages.nj.gov. Local Finance Notice 2024-11 - Volunteer Fire & EMS Incentives - 07/10/2024The Division of Local Government Services is aware that various local units pay incentives to volunteer firefighters for purposes of maintaining and increasing volunteer rosters. Local Finance Notice 2024-11, available at https://www.nj.gov/dca/dlgs/lfns/2024/2024-11.pdf, updates municipalities and fire districts on current Internal Revenue Service (IRS) guidance and Federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) guidance pertaining to incentives paid to volunteer firefighters, along with first aid, ambulance, and rescue squad volunteers ("EMS"), other than the Length of Service Awards Program (LOSAP). Nominal stipends funded through the federal Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) program's volunteer firefighter recruitment and retention (R&R) grant is also discussed. General Ledger & Encumbrance Accounting Systems- Regulatory Update - 07/10/2024Local Finance Notice 2024-09, available at https://www.nj.gov/dca/dlgs/lfns/2024/2024-09.pdf, details the substantial updates made to N.J.A.C. 5:30-5.7 by the Local Finance Board as part of its readoption of N.J.A.C. 5:30. N.J.A.C. 5:30-5.7 establishes required procedures for proper maintenance of a general ledger accounting system that are applicable to all local units, including authorities, fire districts, and joint meetings/regional service agencies. The Notice also discusses updates made to Subchapter 5 as it pertains to encumbrance accounting for purchasing. Authority & Fire District Audit Submission - GASB 68 & 75 Reports - 06/19/2024Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) Statements No. 68 and No. 75 address reporting requirements for pension and other post-employment benefit (OPEB) information, respectively. The audited financial information for each of these statements is released annually by the Division of Pensions and Benefits in the State Treasury. Because Local Finance Board regulations require local authorities, including fire districts, to follow the Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) form of accounting, authority and fire district audits must contain the most current GASB 68 and 75 information applicable to the year being audited in order to be complete. Notwithstanding N.J.S.A. 40A:5A-15 of the Local Authorities Fiscal Control Law requiring all authority audits to be completed within four months after the close of the fiscal year, the Division of Local Government Services (DLGS) recognizes that the GASB 68 and 75 reporting delay has hindered the completion of a number of authority and fire district audits through no fault of their own. As such, the Division does not consider CY2023 audits awaiting the most current GASB 68 or 75 reports for purposes of completion to be late. The FY2024 GASB 68 Audit Reports for PERS and PFRS are now available on the Division of Pensions and Benefits website (https://www.nj.gov/treasury/pensions/gasb-notices.shtml). The FY2024 GASB 75 OPEB report is not available on the Division of Pension of Benefits website at this time. For authorities and fire districts that required the most recent Division of Pension and Benefits GASB 68 audit reports in order to complete their CY2023 annual audit (or an audit for a fiscal year ending on January 31, 2024 or February 29, 2024), but do not require the most recent Division of Pension and Benefits GASB 75 report, DLGS expects submission of the completed CY2023 audit by no later than July 15, 2024. For an authority or fire district awaiting the most recent Division of Pension and Benefits GASB 75 report to complete its CY2023 audit, the Division is not requiring CY2023 audit completion at this time. Updated Local Public Contracts Law Reference Guide Now Available - 05/08/2024The Division of Local Government Services (DLGS) in partnership with Rutgers Center for Government Services (CGS) announces the publication of Version 2.1 of the N.J. Local Public Contracts Law and Regulations Reference Guide. The Guide is an indispensable reference for all procurement officials and those other officials with procurement responsibilities. It contains the full text of the Local Public Contracts Law and various supplemental procurement regulations and other guidance material. It is the goal of DLGS and Rutgers CGS to provide periodic updates. You can review the changes and download the updated version here: https://rutgers.app.box.com/s/jhnehsrq56yj618vlf70jl1wwfzk2w7x. FAST Fire District Auditor Access - 03/07/2024Fire district auditors of record are now able to submit the annual audit and related documents through the Financial Automation Submission & Tracking (FAST) system. Access to the fire district audit module is currently being limited to the auditor of record for each fire district. Auditors with Existing FAST Access: Fire district auditors of record with existing FAST access to any municipality, county, or authority account can contact Matt Gallello at Matthew.Gallello@dca.nj.gov with a list of the fire districts for which they are auditor of record to add these entities to their account. Auditors without an Existing FAST Account: Fire district auditors of record that do not have an existing FAST account must register for an account at https://njdca.dynamics365portals.us/Account/Login/Register. Once registered and logged in, click "Request Access" in the upper right corner of the screen and select the option for FAST. On the access request screen, select the name of the fire district for which you are requesting access, check the box for "Fire District Auditor of Record", and submit the request. Requests for access are verified to the auditor listed in the fire district's most recent budget document. LOSAP CY 2023 Annual CPI Adjustment - For Use in CY 2024 - 01/24/2024Local Finance Notice 2024-01, accessible on the DLGS website at https://www.nj.gov/dca/dlgs/lfns/2024/2024-01.pdf, provides municipalities and fire districts administering a Length of Service Awards Program (LOSAP) with information on LOSAP award increases and the annual cost of living adjustment to the maximum LOSAP award amounts. For LOSAPs with automatic annual cost of living adjustments, the CY2023 CPI adjustment (for use in CY2024) is 3.5% for Municipal LOSAPs with a maximum LOSAP award of $2,023; and 6.9% for Fire District LOSAPs with a maximum LOSAP award of $2,070. LFN 2023-18 Fire District Budgets & FAST - 10/10/2023Local Finance Notice 2023-18, accessible at https://www.nj.gov/dca/dlgs/lfns/2023-18.pdf, explains the CY 2024 fire district budget process and provides other key updates. Fire district officials must review the Notice as part of its budget process. All fire districts are required to enter their budget data into the standardized Excel workbook budget template. Upon completion of the fire district budget workbook, each fire district shall upload and submit the completed and certified document to the Division of Local Government Services (DLGS) through the Financial Automation Submission and Tracking (FAST) system. Notice Sent to: Fire District Officials; Municipal CFOs; Municipal Clerks; Auditor Listserv FAST Reminder for Fire Districts - 10/05/2023Fire districts are reminded that the 2022 audit and all required supporting documentation were due on September 29, 2023, per LFN 2023-10. The audit and supporting documents are required to be uploaded and submitted through the FAST system to begin the 2024 budget review process. Fire district officials must click the "submit button" in FAST to successfully transmit their audit and budget package to the Division. Uploading the budget and supporting documentation without clicking the "submit button" does not constitute proper submission and may result in delays in the review process and the adoption of the fire district budgets. Please do not send paper copies of the audit or budget to the Division as they will not be accepted. Municipal Clerks: please forward this message to any fire districts located within your municipality. Auditors: please forward to your fire district clients. Fire district officials are strongly encouraged to sign up to receive EGG notices by contacting egg@dca.nj.gov. For fire district budget questions, contact Melissa Ford at Melissa.Ford@dca.nj.gov or Zachary.Smith@dca.nj.gov. For technical assistance with the FAST system, contact Matt Gallello at Matthew.Gallello@dca.nj.gov. New Local Finance Notices 2023-15 and 2023-16 - 09/21/2023Local Finance Notice 2023-15, available at https://www.nj.gov/dca/dlgs/lfns/2023-15.pdf, includes certain bidding thresholds recently updated by State Treasury. See pages 2 and 4 of the Notice for updates implemented as of July 1, 2023. In addition to the updated bidding thresholds, the Notice contains an updated link to the State Comptroller's contract submission webpage. Otherwise, the guidance remains identical to that in Local Finance Notice 2020-14R. Local Finance Notice 2023-16 summarizes U.S. Treasury's new 2023 Interim Final Rule, which expands the types of uses for which ARP LFRF Funds may be used. As with the preexisting eligible uses, LFRF funds for newly eligible uses must be obligated by December 31, 2024. Please review the Notice at https://www.nj.gov/dca/dlgs/lfns/2023-16.pdf for critical details. |
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Updated: 02/13/2025