Asset Management, GASB 34, and the Local Entity Perspective

The paper presents a view of the benefits and drawbacks of applying GASB Statement No. 34 in a small municipal entity. Cole County, Missouri, is taking the requirement and using it to improve the long-term operations of the county to the benefit of the taxpayers. The county chose to use GASB 34’s modified reporting method, which, despite the effort required to maintain a database on the condition of the county’s infrastructure, can be used to justify maintenance costs. This is a cost-effective way to maintain a locality’s assets. If the infrastructure assets can be maintained in a predetermined condition, the need for deferred maintenance will decrease, and thus the life-cycle cost for the whole network will decrease.