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7. The City will use refunding mechanisms to reduce interest cost when economically feasible. VIII. ACCOUNTING, AUDITING, AND FINANCIAL REPORTING The key to effective financial management is to provide accurate, current, and meaningful information about the City's operations to guide decision making and enhance and protect the City's financial position. Policy Statement: 1. The City's accounting system will maintain records on a basis consistent with generally accepted accounting standards and principles for local government accounting as set forth by the Government Accounting Standards Board (GASB) and in conformance with the State Auditor's requirements per State Statutes. 2. The City will establish and maintain a high standard of accounting practices. 3. The City will follow a policy of full disclosure written in clear and understandable language in all reports on its financial condition. 4. A primary goal of the Finance Department is to provide timely monthly, quarterly and annual financial reports to users. 5. An independent public accounting firm will perform an annual audit and issue an opinion on the City's financial statements. 6. The City Council will review the audit report, approve its findings and meet with the Auditor to discuss any questions they might have in regard to the audit. IX. RISK MANAGEMENT A comprehensive risk management plan seeks to manage the risks of loss encountered in the everyday operations of an organization. Risk management involves such key components as risk avoidance, risk reduction, risk assumption, and risk transfers through the purchase of insurance. The purpose of establishing a Risk Management Policy is to help maintain the integrity and financial stability of the City, protect its employees from injury, and reduce overall costs of operations. Policy Statement: 1. The City will maintain a Risk Management Program that will minimize the impact of legal liabilities, natural disasters or other emergencies through the following activities: a. Loss prevention - prevent losses where possible b. Loss control - reduces or mitigates losses c. Loss financing - provide a means to finance losses d. Loss information management - collects and analyzes data to make prudent prevention, control and financing decisions 2. The City will review and analyze all areas of risk in order to, whenever possible, avoid and reduce risks or transfer risks to other entities. Of the risks that must be retained, it 13