2003 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report

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Other special attractions within the South Bend area include the Olympic -class East Race Waterway and the East Bank area; the newly renovated Morris Performing Arts Center, which provides for the Broadway Theater League, the South Bend Symphony Orchestra with the Chamber and Pops Orchestras and the Southold Dance Theater and Patchwork Dance Company; the South Bend Civic Theater; the Studebaker National Museum; the South Bend Regional Museum of Art; the Snite Museum of Art at Notre Dame; the Northern Indiana Center for History; Copshaholm/The Oliver Mansion; the College Football Hall of Fame; Century Center; Potawatomi Zoo; the Morris Conservatory/Muessel- Ellison Tropical Gardens; Healthworks! Kids Museum; the Farmers' Market; the Belleville Softball Complex; the Firefly Performing Arts Festival; and the annual City of South Bend Ethnic Festival. The Coveleski Regional Baseball Stadium, a 5,000 -seat facility which opened in 1987, is rated among the best in minor league baseball. It had record crowds during its seasons of play with the South Bend Silver Hawks, a minor league team of the Chicago White Sox up to the 1997 season. During 1997, the City signed on with the Arizona Diamondbacks and looks forward to continued success with its program. Additional miscellaneous information about the City of South Bend can be found at the end of this transmittal letter. Financial, Budgetary and Property Tax Controls The City's Management Team is responsible for establishing and maintaining an internal control structure designed to ensure that the assets of the government are protected from loss, theft or misuse and to ensure that adequate accounting data is compiled to allow for the preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles. The internal control structure is designed to provide reasonable, but not absolute, assurance that these objectives are met. The concept of reasonable assurance recognizes that: (1) the cost of a control should not exceed the benefits likely to be derived; and (2) the valuation of costs and benefits requires estimates and judgments by management. Single Audit. As a recipient of federal and state financial assistance, the City also is responsible for ensuring that an adequate internal control structure is in place to ensure compliance with applicable laws and regulations related to those programs. This internal control structure is subject to periodic evaluation by management of the City. As part of the City's single audit described earlier, tests are performed to determine the adequacy of the internal control structure, including that portion related to federal financial assistance programs, as well as to determine that the City has complied with applicable laws and regulations. The results of the City's single audit for the year ended December 31, 2001 disclosed no instances of significant material weaknesses in the internal control structure and no significant violations of applicable laws and regulations. Budgetary Controls. In accordance with Indiana statutes, the City maintains budgetary controls integrated within the accounting system. The objective of these budgetary controls is to ensure compliance with legal provisions embodied in the annual appropriated budget (prepared on a cash basis) which is adopted by the City Council and then reviewed and approved by the Indiana State Board of Tax Commissioners. Activities of the general fund, certain special revenue and ix