The Audit Connection Blog
Summary infographic of Washington's 2019 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report
Each year, as required by law, the state publishes its Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR) to provide information on the state’s financial position. To make this important information accessible to the broadest possible audience, the State Auditor’s Office prepares this CAFR summary to provide a snapshot of the state’s financial position, including revenues and expenditures, cash balances and debt. ... CONTINUE READING
Change Management Lesson 4: Training for knowledge
Change management starts with building awareness and desire because it recognizes that success requires each employee to choose to adopt and use the new process. Training for new knowledge will yield best results if the people involved have enough awareness and desire to embrace the change, and to seek knowledge and put it to use. ... CONTINUE READING
New phone numbers for the Office of the Washington State Auditor
Beginning in February, several phone numbers for the Office of the Washington State Auditor will change. ... CONTINUE READING
Change Management Lesson 3: Improvement requires desire to change
How many of us have been shaped by a work culture that lives by an “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” rule? But what does that really mean? ... CONTINUE READING
Some governments move off unauditable list
In response to legislative interest in addressing unauditable governments, the State Auditor’s Office recently updated the status of this small group of noncompliant districts. ... CONTINUE READING
Spending Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds? Here are some resources for you
We know that many of our local governments in Washington received funding from the Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (CSLFRF). While the State Auditor’s Office (SAO) hasn’t audited this funding source yet, we’ve compiled some resources to help you comply with this federal grant program and, hopefully, avoid future audit issues. ... CONTINUE READING
Change Management Lesson 2: Building Awareness of the Change to Come
In our Lesson 1 post, we introduced change management as a strategy to implement successful process improvement initiatives. In this installment, we will introduce the ADKAR (Awareness, Desire, Knowledge, Ability, Reinforcement) change management model. This is a five-stage approach to help organizations manage the people side of change. Today, we will focus on Awareness. ... CONTINUE READING
Visit SAO during our 1-day Performance Audit Workshop!
Are you, or someone you know, currently enrolled in a college degree program? Interested in learning about an exciting career where you can help improve government services? Well, you're in luck! ... CONTINUE READING
Change Management Lesson 1: How to Get Started
Government staff often ask where to start when they seek to improve a process like permits, asset management, approval queues and so on. It’s hard to know what actions to take without looking at why you are where you are today, and the mindset of the people who will have to make the change happen. ... CONTINUE READING
State Auditor’s Office uncovers $7 million misappropriation
Today, the Office of the Washington State Auditor released its report on a major fraud investigation involving the Pierce County Housing Authority. The State Auditor's Office investigation found nearly $7 million in misappropriated public funds, which is the largest case of its kind on record for a Washington local government. ... CONTINUE READING