[Adopted 11-13-2001 (P-41C)]
A. Applicability.
(1) This Policy covers the investment of transactions of Kent County
Levy Court governmental and proprietary funds, such as:
Capital Projects Fund
General Fund
Landfill Fund
Sewer Fund
Special Assessments Fund
Street Lighting Fund
Trash Fund
(2) Funds excluded from this Policy include:
Medical Insurance Trust Account
Pension Fund
Other fund balances specifically designated by the Levy Court
or restricted by ordinance
(3) Investment strategies of funds excluded from this Policy shall be
reviewed by the County Finance Director and the appropriate advisory
committee, if any, for recommendation to the Levy Court
B. Purpose. The purpose of this Policy is to formalize the investment
objectives and provide the parameters for investments.
C. Objectives.
(1) The County's first and foremost investment objective is safety. Preservation
of principal must be the overriding goal for all investments.
(2) Maximization of income is the second objective of the investments.
When there is a conflict between income and safety, safety shall be
given full and first consideration.
(3) Investments will made for such periods as to make the funds available
for expenditures when needed.
D. Investments permitted:
(1) Certificates of deposit from financial institutions which are insured
by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or the Federal Savings
and Loan Insurance Corporation, or, to the extent not insured, collateralized
by U.S. government securities.
(2) U.S. government securities.
(3) Obligations issued or guaranteed by any agency controlled by or acting
as an instrumentality of the United States of America.
(4) Repurchase agreements of no more than a seventy-two-hour duration with respect to obligations mentioned in Subsection
D(2) or
(3) above with banks, provided that the County has possession of and a perfected security interest in the collateral security, which must continuously have a market value equal to 100% of the amount invested.
(5) Other repurchase agreements with respect to obligations mentioned in Subsection
D(2) or
(3) above with banks, provided that the County has possession of and a perfected security interest in the collateral security, which must continuously have a market value equal to 102% of the amount invested.
[Amended 8-25-2009 (P09-03)]
(6) U.S. government securities mutual funds. These funds must invest
exclusively in a portfolio of securities issued or guaranteed by the
U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities and repurchase
agreements with any member bank of the federal reserve system or primary
dealer in U.S. government securities.
(7) Shares in the State of Delaware Investment Pool.
E. Investments not permitted.
(1) Examples of investments not permitted:
(a)
Any speculative investment.
(b)
Stocks of business corporations.
(c)
Commercial paper, bonds, debentures, mortgages, promissory notes,
and similar obligations issued by business corporations, associations,
partnerships, trusts, or sole proprietorships.
(d)
Any unsecured obligation.
(2) The above list is not all inclusive but provides examples for guidance.
F. Method of investment.
(1) The term of any investment is to be based upon reasonable projections
of County expenses and anticipated future interest rates.
(2) Except for sweep arrangements agreed to in banking services contracts,
investments shall be placed on the basis of competitive bidding.
(3) Solicitation shall be on a single blind bid format with the investment
going to the highest bidder. No bidder may be informed directly or
indirectly of the amount or any other bid.
(4) In the event of a tie bid for a particular investment, each bidder
will be recontacted once for purposes of soliciting any further blind
bid.
(5) If there is still a tie, the Kent County bidder must be preferred
over any out-of-County bidder.
(6) If there is still a tie involving two or more Kent County bidders,
the bidder who received an investment the longest time ago must be
preferred.
(7) When purchasing government securities, a minimum of three bids will
be taken and recorded on the transaction record form. The bid providing
the highest yield will be selected. Other factors may be considered
and fully recorded if the selection is not made for the highest yield.
(8) All Kent County investments will be completed by the County Comptroller's
office transferring the funds, but in the event no one in the Kent
County Comptroller's office is available to handle an investment fund
transfer, either the Kent County Director of Finance or County Administrator
may make the fund transfer.
[Amended 8-25-2009 (P09-03)]
G. Recordkeeping. All records for Kent County investments will be kept
for five years from the date of the investment.
H. Advisory Committee. A committee shall be established by Levy Court
to review performance and make recommendations regarding financial
investments, and to recommend revisions to the Investment Policy as
deemed appropriate.
[Added 8-25-2009 (P09-03)]
I. Personnel authorized to make investments. All Kent County investments
will be solicited and determined by the office of the Kent County
Director of Finance.