Improvement District Services, Inc.
since 1998
Improvement District Services, Inc. was incorporated in July 1998. The officers of the corporation are Jennifer J. Bartos, President/Treasurer and Karen R. Davis, Vice-President/Secretary. We provide administrative services to special taxing districts and collect Yavapai County assessments.
Our staff has over twenty-nine combined years of extensive experience with a successful track record in providing improvement district administrative services. These services can include a full range of tasks including district management, utility billing, accounting and banking functions, budgets and annual reports, elections coordination, annexations, assessments, customer service, contact with facility management, engineering coordination, planning, public meetings and presentations, and research. We have the qualifications, capabilities, and resources available to perform all of the services needed for improvement district administrative management.
Our office is located in Prescott and is equipped with office equipment and software programs for communication, accounting, utility billing, GIS, assessments and other miscellaneous uses. We provide a statewide toll free phone number for customer convenience. Improvement District Services, Inc. is fully insured and bonded for liability, errors and omissions, and holds a fidelity bond for money handling. Our office currently processes thousands of utility bills and handles over $4,000,000.00 in customer revenues annually.
Improvement District Services, Inc. staff has unique experience that has come from working for Yavapai County as Special District staff and with many water and sewer improvement districts. Because of the extent of our experience we are able to manage routine District issues on a daily basis without direction of Board members. When issues do arise that require Board decisions we have the background to submit recommendations to the Board Members based on a vast amount of previous experiences. In most cases this knowledge can save the District in many areas including possible legal fees and penalties.
Our office typically serves as the District Office and maintains the current District Records. The majority of the District’s records are considered public information and shall be available for public inspection by appointment. Our office is also available to be used as the District’s Board Meeting location with limited audience size.
Our services also include Jennifer Bartos serving as the District Clerk of the Board of Directors. This is a necessary position required by the Arizona Revised Statutes. Jennifer currently sits as the Clerk of the Board for seven Districts and has extensive experience in the duties of this official position.
The District’s funds are considered public funds. Our firm is experienced in the necessary steps to handle money in the manor approved by the Arizona State Auditor General’s Office. Our service typically includes signing authority on all bank accounts. Along with this we also encourage the District to have an outside financial review performed annually.
Our staff has assisted in writing many District Ordinances. We have found Ordinances to be helpful with conforming building and permit requirements, fees, and other District policies. As administrators we have the knowledge and experience to assist with compiling Ordinances with limited legal review costs.
Improvement District Services, Inc. communicates daily with title companies to provide District policy and fee information to potential new buyers. Additionally our staff works directly with Yavapai County and City Offices to ensure that fees are collected prior to the issuance of building permits. Our service typically includes issuing District permits for new construction.
The District should maintain a separate clearing account and Yavapai County Treasurer account(s). We recommend that the District maintain an Operation & Maintenance Account (O&M) and a Capital Fund Account with the Yavapai County Treasurer’s Office. The tasks involved in maintaining these additional accounts are usually included in our scope of services.
Over the years we have had the opportunity to work with many reliable local engineers, attorneys, CPA’s, suppliers and contractors experienced in improvement district and utility system needs. As District Administrators we have the experience to assist the District’s operations by providing recommendations to the Board in selecting reliable resources for many of these necessary outside services.
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