Supporting a Commonwealth of Communities

June 24, 2020

MAAO Summer Conference

DLS Technology Update

What’s new with DARB?

Data Analytics & Resources FY 20/21

DLS Gateway DLS website

Visualizations, datasets & reports

Local Aid, Cherry Sheets

Data Processing (exemptions, local options votes etc.)

DLS Gateway

Major Development in 2020

▪Audit Report Submission: Audit firms

▪Local Options ▪ DLS using internally, will roll out this summer to

communities

▪COVID-19 emergency forms▪ Deficit Spending Approval

▪ Free Cash Available

▪ Retained Earnings Available

▪Community Dashboard (DLS internal)

▪Community Certification Report (DLS internal)

▪TAB Service Requests – in progress

COVID-19 Financial Forms

Towns/Districts only Any jurisdiction with available free cash

COVID-19 Financial Forms

Retained Earnings Available (Enterprise funds)

Clerk’s Certificate of Vote

The Clerk’s Certificate of

Vote will also be required in

FY 2021 for LA-5 submission

Tax Rate Changes for FY2021

▪ DE-1 – add totals to all columns, fix issue with row sorting

▪ Tax Rate Recap: change validation to not fire on inverse

value Page 2 Part llb line 9 Snow and ice deficit Ch. 44, Sec 3D

$188,040.00 does not equal Misc Form Snow and ice deficit

($188,040.00)

▪ Remove requirement for OL-1 to be submitted before Recap

▪ LA3 public report: added Location_ID to the dataset

▪ LA13: allow data entry in Columns A and B on the Audited

Personal Property row

▪ LA13 Statistics Report: Added % Change rows under both

Parcel and value rows

▪ LA5 changes: changes to form and signatures

New data entry fields for

Audited Personal Property

New rows showing percent

change for each class

Estimated Levy is

automatically filled from

Recap Page 1 – no data entry

Reduced the hearing

information to one row

Clerk’s Certificate of

Vote required –

not the hearing notice

New: Mayor’s signature is required only in cities

• Selectboard, Council and Aldermen do not have to sign

• Clerk’s certificate of vote must be uploaded and the clerk must still sign

• Board of Assessors must still sign

LA-5 Signatures

DLS-only features of interest▪ Community Dashboard (DLS internal)

▪ Community Certification Report (DLS internal)

Community Dashboard: financial trend analysis

For DLS to spot trends early and offer assistance

(work in progress)

The public version of

DLS’s trend analysis

is the

Municipal Finance

Trend Dashboard

https://www.mass.gov/service-

details/municipal-finance-

trend-dashboard

DARB is focused on

trend analysis –

watch for more

visualizations and

data on the website

(new lead developer)

The CCR is BLA’s certification review data – 7 categories

BLA advisors and

supervisors will

use these new

screens to

streamline the

cert process

CCR Report

CCR report will appear on the

Certification Summary screen

following final approval

Gateway reminders

FY2021 Assessor Certification

Check the Directory

2023 Certs: Directive Progress

Use email for support

DLSGateway@dor.state.ma.us

DLS Website

BLA moved to Top

Actions & Services,

below the mosaic

tiles temporarily

EQV and

Telephone/Pipeline

News

https://www.mass.gov/info-details/bla-tax-rate-and-new-growth-forms

Many services are now

found on “list” type pages

with a table of contents

These new page types improve page navigation by

providing pop-up Table of Contents and a “Top”

of form option that travels with you as you scroll

https://www.mass.gov/lists/centrally-valued-utilities-telephone-and-pipeline-companies

New Categories are coming

One will be specifically for

new officials - “start here”

Large categories will be split

into smaller chunks

? What would you

like to see added?

https://www.mass.gov/lists/municipal-finance-training-and-resource-center

Please contact us by email or by

using one of our two support lines

(Gateway or Databank)

We’re here to help you!

Supporting a Commonwealth of Communities

Data Analytics & Resources

Thank you!

Be well... Stay in touch