As all of Washington responds to the threat of COVID-19, I wanted to reach out to our partners in good government and let you know some steps the State Auditor's Office (SAO) is taking related to our audits of state agencies and local governments.
The Budgeting, Accounting and Reporting System (BARS) Manuals for GAAP and cash basis governments have been updated and are available on our website at www.sao.wa.gov/, under “BARS & Annual Filing.”
Beginning in February, several phone numbers for the Office of the Washington State Auditor will change.
Here's what you need to know:
We believe it's important to stay in communication at the Washington State Auditor's Office. That's why we email you about audit reports, new resources and news you can use. But do you know how to get in contact with us?
The Office of the Washington State Auditor recently passed its external peer review, which is a rigorous independent examination of the Office's work conducted every three years.
SAO is proud to have passed all of its peer reviews.
“The national peer review team affirmed the excellent work our auditors do on the public's behalf,” Auditor Pat McCarthy said. “As independent auditors, we understand the value of an objective, outside review. And we are proud to advance the cause of government transparency by sharing these results publicly.”
Saundra Groshong, audit manager for our South King County team, has left SAO after 19 years of service. Groshong accepted a position as finance director at the City of Buckley. Saundra was a great leader for our Office, and she will be missed.
As it turns out, a lot.
On the public's behalf, the Office of the Washington State Auditor is on the trail of good government.
In 2017, the Office of the Washington State Auditor worked with the Department of Commerce to clarify a contradiction between state law and rule that caused confusion about how utilities could show they met the Energy Independence Act's renewable energy requirement.
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At the Office of the Washington State Auditor, one of our primary functions is to evaluate the finances of governments across the state. But did you know that what we do goes beyond the bottom line, and into the very heart of what makes a government function well and connect to its residents? This emotional connection is what is at the heart of our newest video, “For the Love of Kenmore.” It's about helping local governments in Washington find, as Kenmore City Manager Rob Karlinsey puts it, “value beyond the purely financial.”