Comment Detail
Date: 10/20/22 First Name: steve Last Name: dobratz Email: sdobratz@farmersbankks.com Organization Type: other Organization: FARMERS BANK AND TRUST Comment
I AM THE CFO FOR FARMERS BANK AND TRUST, A ONE BILLION DOLLAR BANK HEADQUARTERED IN GREAT BEND KS WITH LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT CENTRAL KANSAS AND THE KANSAS CITY METRO AREA. WE UTILIZE FHLB ON BOTH SIDES OF OUR BALANCE SHEET BY USING ADVANCES TO SUPPORT OUR ABILITY TO MAKE LONG TERM LOANS, TO OBTAIN FUNDING WITHOUT AFFECTING OUR CORE DEPOSIT BASE, AND USING THE MPF PROGRAM TO ENABLE LOCAL CUSTOMERS TO EASILY OBTAIN LONG TERM MORTGAGES THRU THEIR LOCAL BANK. BY MAKING USE OF THE AHP GRANT PROGRAM, WE ARE ABLE TO HELP OUR CUSTOMERS QUALIFY FOR THAT FIRST HOUSE THEY HAVE BEEN SEEKING. WE NEVER LET AN AVAILABLE GRANT GO TO WASTE! FROM A BANK LIQUIDITY STANDPOINT, IT IS CRITICAL THAT WE ARE ABLE TO UTILIZE FHLB TO MONETIZE OUR LOAN PORTFOLIO. BEING ABLE TO MAKE LOANS KNOWING THAT WE HAVE ACCESS TO FHLB TO FUND THOSE LOANS REMOVES A LARGE CONSTRAINT ON OUR ABILITY TO MAKE THOSE LOANS. WHILE OVERALL LIQUIDITY IS AMPLE TODAY, IF TIMES CHANGE AND OTHER SOURCES OF LIQUIDITY DRY UP IT'S A HUGE COMFORT TO KNOW THAT THERE IS A REASONABLY PRICED ALTERNATIVE WITH FHLB. I ALSO WANT TO COMMENT ON THE REGIONAL SETUP OF THE FHLB SYSTEM. THE FOLKS IN TOPEKA KNOW THE FOLKS IN GREAT BEND AND THEIR OTHER MEMBER BANK LOCATIONS. THAT WAS INVALUABLE DURING THE FINANCIAL CRUNCH OF THE LATE 2000'S. ALTHOUGH OUR BANK'S NUMBERS DIDN'T LOOK SO HOT TO MY KNOWLEDGE FHLB OF TOPEKA NEVER REQUIRED ANY EXTRA COLLATERAL, MONITORING OR OTHER EXTRA OVERSIGHT ACTIVITIES AS WE WORKED THROUGH OUR ISSUES. I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT WAS BECAUSE THEY KNEW OUR BANK AND MANAGEMENT TEAM AND THAT THEY COULD COUNT ON US TO GET THINGS BACK ON TRACK. I THINK THAT FAITH HAS BEEN SHOWN TO BE MORE THAN JUSTIFIED. THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME THIS TIME TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH FHLB OF TOPEKA.