OAR 150-294-0440: Unappropriated Ending Fund Balance

(1) A municipal corporation may include an estimate for unappropriated ending fund balance in its budget. This estimate is intended to provide the municipal corporation with the working capital or cash balance to finance activities for the period between July 1 of the ensuing fiscal year and the time when sufficient new revenues become available to meet cash flow needs of the fund. When calculating the amount of the unappropriated ending fund balance, the municipal corporation will determine the cash requirements of the ensuing fiscal year that must be met prior to the receipt of sufficient revenues. If all other resources estimated to be received during the same period are not sufficient to meet these needs an unappropriated fund balance may be budgeted. The maximum amount of cash or net working capital that may be budgeted as an unappropriated ending fund balance is the difference between the budget requirements except the unappropriated ending fund balance and the total resources of the fund. (2) Unless unexpected expenditures result from civil disturbance, other calamity, or natural disaster defined in ORS 294.481, expenditure cannot be made from the unappropriated ending fund balance in the year or budget period in which it is budgeted. Except for the specific conditions cited in ORS 294.481, no action may be taken through resolution, ordinance or supplemental budget to spend these monies. It is not necessary to include the unappropriated ending fund balance in the schedule of appropriations. Any amount carried over by reason of an unappropriated ending fund balance becomes a budget resource in the fiscal year or budget period following the one for which the unappropriated ending fund balance is being budgeted. (3) For those municipal corporations that adopt a biennial budget, an unappropriated ending fund balance may be included to cover the cash requirements that must be met prior to the receipt of sufficient revenues only in the first year of the ensuing budget period. Cash requirements in the second year of a biennial budget must be estimated, budgeted, and appropriated.