January 20, 2022 @ 5:30 p.m. – Annual Board Meeting
in the Lake County Board of County Commissioners Room, 315 W. Main Street, Tavares, Florida.
THE MEETING WILL BE HELD IN PERSON AND ALSO BROADCAST VIA ZOOM.
Members of the public wishing to watch or participate can use the information below:
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Dial (for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location):
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NORTH LAKE COUNTY HOSPITAL DISTRICT
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS
ACCOUNTING SERVICES
I. INTRODUCTION
The North Lake County Hospital District requests proposals from qualified firms of certified public accountants to provide accounting and operational services to the District.
II. QUALIFICATIONS
- The Firm must have a license to practice in Florida.
- The Firm must be independent of the North Lake County Hospital District as defined by generally accepted auditing standards and government auditing standards by the Comptroller General of the United States.
- The Firm must have been established in Florida and performed continuous CPA services for a minimum of five years.
- The Firm must have a working knowledge of governmental accounting and the Florida TRIM process.
III. SCOPE OF WORK
- Perform bookkeeping services, prepare financial statements
- Maintain all accounting records for the District
- Prepare an annual budget worksheet and perform the responsibilities for compliance with TRIM
- Place appropriate budget advertisements
- Schedule meeting dates with the Clerk of Court and Count Commission
- Write checks, send to two board members for signature
- Reconcile bank accounts
- File public security for deposit reports
- Dispose of District records in accordance with Florida Division of Library and Information Services rules and regulations
- Prepare the end of year financial statements and notes to the financial statements to be audited
- Work with District’s auditor to complete fieldwork
- Maintain worksheet for provider submissions and funding
- Prepare performance reviews and submit to District’s legislative delegation
- Prepare “Funds Received and Disbursed” report and publish in local newspaper
- Serve as the District’s official place of business
- Handle constituent contacts
IV. PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS
Proposals may be obtained by contacting Greenlee, Kurras, Rice & Brown, CPAs at psamos@gkrb.com or on the District’s website at northlakecountyhospitaldistrict.org. Proposals will be received until Monday, January 3, 2022, at 4:00 PM. All proposals must be in electronic format. January 4, 2022, the proposals will be sent to the District’s board members to begin their preliminary evaluations.
Presentations, if requested by the Board, will be Thursday, January 20, 2022. The Board should make its selection at that meeting.
The following material is required to be in the proposal:
- Title Page that states the firm name, name of contact person, address, phone number and e-mail address.
- Transmittal letter briefly stating the proposer’s understanding of the work to be done, the commitment to perform the work, a detail of prior experience in providing accounting services to governmental entities, and statements as to why the firm believes itself to be best qualified.
- An affirmative statement should be included indicating that the firm and all assigned key professional staff are licensed to practice in the State of Florida.
- The firm should provide an affirmative statement that it is independent of the North Lake County Hospital District as defined by Government Auditing Standards as issued by the Comptroller of the United States. The firm should also list and describe any relationships involving the District during the past five years.
- The proposal should state the size of the firm and the location of the office from which the work is to be performed.
- Submit a copy of the firm’s most recent external peer review report. Indicate any disciplinary actions that have been instituted or proposed against the firm during the last three years.
- Identify all staff that will be assigned to this engagement. Provide as much information as possible regarding their qualifications, experience, and training. Resumes should be provided for the owner or manager who would be in charge of the engagement.
- The hourly rate for the owner, manager and/or accounting staff should be provided.
V. PROPOSAL EVALUATION
Preliminary evaluation will be based on the following factors:
- The qualification and experience of the firm’s professional personnel assigned to the engagement (25 percent)
- The firm’s past experience and performance with governmental clients (25 percent)
- Hourly rate of owner, manager and/or accounting staff (25 percent)
- Understanding District’s needs (25 Percent)
VI. DESCRIPTION OF THE DISTRICT
The North Lake County Hospital District (the District) was formed April, 1990 through a merger of the Northwest Lake County Hospital Tax District and the Northeast Lake County Hospital Tax District. The merger was accomplished in the manner authorized by Chapter 189, Section 189.4042, Florida Statutes, The Uniform Special District Accountability Act of 1989, which provides for the merger of special districts. The respective boards adopted the prerequisite resolutions in February,1990. Lake County Commission passed Resolution 1990-12 to approve the merger. In 2002, a special act was passed codifying all special acts relating to the District in order to provide a single comprehensive special act charter for the District. In 2004, a special act was passed amending the District’s tax proceeds payees. In 2012, Chapter 2012-258 became effective April 27, 2012. This legislation repealed chapters 2002-348 and 2004-460 and recreated the District. In a 2016 general election, the majority of the electorate voted to continue the District through September, 2027.
The purpose of the District is to “provide a means to pay for indigent care to residents of the District … through the use of health care facilities not owned and operated by the board of trustees.”
There are no component units that should be included within the District’s financial statements.
The District’s only revenue sources are ad valorem proceeds and interest. Expenses are for legal services, accounting and auditing services, property appraiser and tax collector fees, legal ads, insurance, and payments to health care providers.
Pursuant to the Florida Public Records Act, materials submitted by all respondents and the results of the District’s evaluation are open to public inspection. Respondents should take special note of this as it relates to any proprietary information that my be include in proposals.
PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES NEEDING ASSISTANCE TO PARTICIPATE IN ANY OF THESE PROCEEDINGS SHOULD CONTACT PATRICIA SYKES-AMOS AT 352-383-6300 AT LEAST 48 HOURS BEFORE THE DATE OF THE SCHEDULED MEETING
If a person decides to appeal any decision or recommendation made by council with respect to any matter considered at this meeting, he/she will need a record of the proceedings, and for such purposes he/she may need to ensure that verbatim record of the proceedings is made, which record includes the testimony and evidence upon which the appeal is to be based.
WHAT IS THE NORTH LAKE COUNTY HOSPITAL DISTRICT?
The North Lake County Hospital District is an independent special district that was created by the Florida Legislature to provide a means to pay for indigent care delivered by local hospitals and clinics. The District is governed by an elected, unpaid board of six members who reside in the district and may serve a maximum of two 4-year terms. Each year the board adopts a millage rate that determines the amount of property tax levied on residents, which in turn determines the total budget available for use in funding indigent care in North Lake County.
BOARD MEMBERS
Susan Hopper, Seat 1 | Term: 2020 – 2024
Additional information to be provided in the near future.
Barbara Price, Chairperson | Seat 2 | Term: 2018-2022
Additional information to be provided in the near future.
Ralph Smith, Seat 3 | Term: 2010 – 2024
Additional information to be provided in the near future.
Timothy Sullivan, Seat 4 | Term: 2018 – 2022
Timothy Sullivan was appointed by Governor Ron DeSantis on May 21, 2021 to Seat 4. Tim Sullivan is an advisor at Prudential Financial. He served on the Lake County School Board, two terms on the Lake County Board of County Commissioners and 33 years in the United States Army, Army National Guard, and Florida National Guard. He earned his Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from The Citadel and a Master’s of Strategic Science from the United States Army War College.
Anita Swan, Secretary \ Treasurer | Seat 5 | Term: 2020 – 2024
Additional information to be provided in the near future.
Joyce Richey Huey, Vice Chair | Seat 6 | Term: 2018-2022
Joyce Richey Huey is self employed and owns Two Old Hags Wine Shoppe. She graduated from Leesburg High School in 1971. She was born in Leesburg, Florida and has resided there since 1953.
CONTACT US
M. Meredith Kirste, Esquire
M. Meredith Kirste, P.A. | 7928 U.S. Highway 441, Suite 3, Leesburg, Florida 34788-8206
Office: (352) 326-3455
Fax: (352) 365-0055
Email: mmkirste@northlakecountyhospitaldistrict.org
Patricia A. Sykes-Amos, CPA
Greenlee, Kurras, Rice & Brown, P.A., CPA’s | P.O. Box 8 | Mount Dora, FL 32756
Phone: (352) 383-6300
Fax: (352) 383-6458
Email: psamos@northlakecountyhospitaldistrict.org
EMAIL ADDRESSES FOR BOARD MEMBERS:
Susan E. Hooper – shoopernorthlake@gmail.com
Barbara Price – bprice@northlakecountyhospitaldistrict.org
Ralph Smith – rsmithnorthlake@gmail.com
Anita Swan – aswannorthlake@gmail.com
Timothy Sullivan – tsullivannorthlake@gmail.com
Joyce Richey Huey – jhuey@northlakecountyhospitaldistrict.org