History

First, and foremost, we have conducted educational seminars for treasurers and financial officers of all municipalities. This has been done on both statewide and regional basis. These seminars include one-day workshops, two and three-day conferences, and also the Illinois Municipal Treasurers Institute which is a four day affair leading to certification as an Illinois municipal treasurer, and at the national level.

The range of topics covered at the seminars include current legislative and professional issues, budgeting, bonding, motor fuel taxes, audit control, investments, police and fire pension administration, economic development, grants, home rule, and interest rates, just to name a few. The topics have been as many and varied as our membership. These seminars have been provided since our inception.

"The Illinois Funds"   previously known as The Illinois Public Treasurer's Investment Pool, was established by the IMTA with the help of the State Treasurer, Alan Dixon.   Mr. Dixon deserves much of the credit in the successful development of this statewide pool.

The "The Illinois Funds" is designed as a convenient means of investing short term funds held by municipalities, it provides for investment of municipal funds for as short as one day. The Illinois Funds  interest rate, because of the amounts of pooled funds, are the best available on a daily basis.  Interest is computed and reinvested daily.  The Illinois Funds continues to be administered by Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs. This pool has grown to more than three billion dollars in assets and over 1700 members.

The division of our state into regions was first discussed in 1979 as a means of cutting travel costs of seminar participants. Because of the large area covered by our State, it was believed that meetings on a  regional basis would provide a more convenient service to Illinois treasurers.

The state was divided into four regions: the Chicago area, and the Northern, Central, and Southern regions. The Southern region was the first to organize, when it held a seminar and business in Mt. Vernon in 1983.  By 1984, all regions outside the Chicago area had organized and held seminars.  The regions continue to meet periodically.

The concept of certification was introduced in 1979 when the IMTA board of directors was studying the increasingly complex Illinois municipal government scene and the level of administrative expertise needed for adept administration.  Population changes, increased municipal responsibilities, and extensive social and legislative change had increased the difficulty and importance of the treasurers function. The board of directors believed that continuing professional education was needed to help treasurers acquire necessary new skills and knowledge.

Thus the idea of certification surfaced which would give Illinois municipal treasurers distinction who had completed a specified minimum amount of educational requirements and had experience as a municipal treasurer.  Attendance at IMTA provided seminars and membership in IMTA as well as on a national level also count toward certification.

Certification means that a treasurer, is capable of developing and maintaining a high level of administrative and functional expertise in his or her Office.