Take advantage of our high-performing team, who will become your high-performing team.
What We Will Provide to Your Board of Trustees and Your District:
ADA Accessible Website (Chapter 189.069 Florida Statutes) We will provide an ADA-accessible website as state and federal law require. We will keep it updated and maintained, as all special districts in Florida are required to do. In addition, at an additional cost, we can also remediate your documents to ensure they comply with WCAG accessibility guidelines.
Accounts Payable No more paper invoices and checks from/to vendors! Our accounts payable software streamlines your process with online payment automation that saves time and trees alike. You’ll have the ability to review, code, and approve payments on a cloud-based platform that allows for 24/7 online access.
Accounts Payable (Online) Your Board will be able to view and approve all District invoices online and authorize their approval before any payment is made. Most Districts prefer to have two officers authorize payment; however, we can work with whatever approach is best for your District.
Administrative Team More than simply answering the phone, our Team Lead has managed Hillsborough County Dependent Tax Districts since 1992, first as the President of the Bloomingdale Special District, then followed by twenty years of managing the three largest Districts in the County. We will keep you current and timely with all your County and state forms and requirements.
Agenda & Minutes Preparation It can sometimes be difficult to find a Trustee who wants to serve as Secretary because they are required to prepare the minutes of each meeting. We’ll make that task easy by providing a template for your minutes: you just have to jot down a few meeting details and send the form back to us – and in return, we will send you professional minutes for Board approval at your next meeting. We can also email the draft minutes to all Board members and prepare the agenda for your next meeting if requested. (Remember: Florida law requires you to post your agenda on your website at least seven (7) days prior to your meeting)
Assessment Roll We will manage all County requirements for preparing the District’s assessment roll and delivering it to the Tax Collector.
Attorney Liaison We have relationships with several local attorneys who work regularly with Special Districts at our reduced fee. We recommend that you have all contracts and agreements reviewed by counsel prior to signing.
Audit Preparation We will provide your year-end financials to your auditor of choice to complete your annual audit. Your auditing CPA will likely find your new monthly CPA-prepared financials easy and quick to work with. For smaller Districts under $50,000 in revenue that do not require a full audit, our CPA will prepare the final form and enter it into the state’s Local Government Electronic Reporting (LOGER) system as required by statute.
Board Portal An online portal where Board members can view and access important District files and financial information.
Budget Process We will provide you with a draft budget to use as your starting point, run all required legal advertisements for your Budget Hearing, post the budget on your District website as required, and provide it to Hillsborough County for approval once completed.
Business Email Address If requested, we will provide a business email address for your District and receive all business emails for the District and forward or respond as appropriate.
Business Phone Line We will provide and answer a business phone number for your District and will forward all messages to Board Members as requested.
Community Correspondence In some situations, Hillsborough County will require your District to complete mailings to your homeowners. We will handle any required mailings that your District must send.
Contracts and Specifications When it is time to renew your landscape maintenance contract, we will provide you with a custom contract built for your property using the information you provide.
County & State Paperwork We shall meticulously prepare all county and state required paperwork throughout the year and forward it to the appropriate agency, ensuring nothing is overlooked.
CPA-Prepared Monthly Financials Monthly financial packages for your District will be prepared by our contracted certified public accountant. Monthly financial reports include: balance sheet, income statement (operating), general ledger trial balance w/detail, bank account reconciliations, bank statements, pre-paid expenses, and payables aging report.
District Mail We will act as your mail depository to accept all regular mail for your District, if requested.
Document Library We will electronically store all your official documents, including previous years’ budgets, agendas, minutes, etc. for access as needed.
Financial Security/Internal Controls All assessment payments from the Hillsborough County Tax Collector are deposited directly to your District operating account or, better yet, to your Florida Prime account. Your Operating account provides your Treasurer with 24/7 online access when needed. Additionally, your vendor payments are all approved online by two officers of the District before mailing and finally, your monthly financials are always prepared by a certified public accountant (CPA).
Florida Prime Florida Prime is a government investment pool for public funds that offers management by Federated Hermes, one of the nation’s leading investment managers. This investment pool will make investing your funds easy, safe, and likely offer a better return than you may be receiving currently. At this time, Sunshine manages several Prime accounts for other Hillsborough County Districts. (https://prime.sbafla.com/)
Guidance on Policies, Procedures, and Operating Questions Professional assistance provided by experienced district managers is available by phone or email to support the Board of Trustees when needed. (Note: While we cannot provide legal advice or legal interpretations, we will provide you with decades of experience in Hillsborough County Special Districts)
Homeowner Help Desk Our District management team is available by phone or email when your homeowners have questions or concerns. We will answer everything we can and forward anything that requires Board attention via email.
Insurance Review An initial insurance review and report from our insurance specialist (with assistance in the insurance procurement process) will be available if requested.
Legal Notices We will create all your required legal notices, send them for your approval, and then publish them as required by law.
Performance Measures & Standards (New requirement in 2024 Chapter 189.0694 Florida Statutes) We will create a draft document outlining your performance measures and standards based on your creating ordinance and District responsibilities. This new Florida law is required by October 1, 2024, and each year, these must be published on your District website by December 1st.
Records Retention We will store all files that are required by law to be stored as public records.
Savings On Service For everything from printing to legal work, you will enjoy the benefits of our quantity pricing.
Vendor Contract Review We will review all current contracts and vendor insurance policies and notify you of any recommended changes or updates.
1099 Processing Annual 1099 forms will be mailed to your District’s contractors as required by law.
