Glossary of Terms

The accounts of the county are organized on the basis of funds and account groups, each of which is considered a separate accounting entity. The operations of each fund are accounted for with a separate set of balanced accounts that contain assets, liabilities, fund equity, revenues and expenditures (expenses). Government resources are allocated to and accounted for in individual funds based upon the purposes for which they are to be spent and the means by which spending activities are controlled. The various funds are grouped, into seven fund types and three fund categories as delineated below:

Governmental Funds

General Fund

The General Fund is the general operating fund of the County. It is used for all financial resources except those required to be accounted for in another fund. Functions within this fund consist of General Government, Public Safety, Judicial, Health and Sanitation, Intergovernmental and Community Support.

Special Revenue Funds

Special Revenue Funds are used to account for the proceeds of specific revenue sources (other than special assessments, expendable trusts, or major capital projects) that are legally restricted to expenditures for specified purposes.

The County's Special Revenue Funds

The County's Special Revenue Funds include the following: Road, Indigent, Agricultural Extension, Public Library, Parks and Recreation, Cemetery Beautification, Indigent Donations and Gift, Law Library, Regional Streets, Library Gift, Self Insurance, Unemployment, Forfeitures/Seized Assets, Recreation Donation, Assistance to Victims or Domestic Violence, Indigent Hospital Care, Indigent Medical Care, Public Transit, Senior Citizen Ad Valorem Levy, One Cent Fuel Tax, Fairgrounds Sales Proceeds and Hospital Support Fund.

Debt Service Funds

Debt Service funds are used to account for the accumulation of resources for and the payment of general long-term debt, principal, interest, and related costs. The County has one Debt Service Fund.

Capital Projects Fund

Capital Projects funds are used to account for financial resources to be used for the acquisition or construction of major capital facilities other than those financial by propriety funds and trust funds.

The County's Capital Projects Fund

The County's Capital Projects funds are as follows: Building Reserve, Special Ad Valorem Capital Projects, and Fire Equipment Apparatus Fund.

Fiduciary Funds

Trust & Expendable Trust Funds

Trust Funds are used to account for assets held by the County in a trustee capacity or as an agent for individuals, private organizations, other governments, and/or funds. Expendable Trust Funds are accounted for in essentially the same manner as governmental funds.

Proprietary Funds

Enterprise Fund

Enterprise Funds are used to account for operations (a) that are financed and operated in a manner similar to private business enterprises- where the intent of the governing body is that the costs (expenses, including depreciation) of providing goods and services to the general public on a continuing basis be financed or recovered primarily through user charges; or (b) where the governing body has decided that periodic determination of revenues earned, expenses incurred, and/or net income is appropriate for capital maintenance, public policy, management control, accountability, or other purposes.

The County has CC Communications enterprise operations.

Internal Service Funds

Internal Service Funds are used for account for the financing of goods or services provided by one department or agency to other departments or agencies of the County, or to other governments on a cost-reimbursement basis.