Requested Agenda Date:
8/9/2022
Requested Agenda Title:
Title
Budget Adjustment: Mayor Financial Administration’s Request to Eliminate 1 Time-Limited FTE and Transfer the Funding to Increase in External Auditor Costs and Implement a Web-based Interactive Budget Book Software Solution (Net Reduction of $28,684 and 1 Time-Limited FTE)
Body
Requested Agenda Item Description: This adjustment is to change how the budget and accounting support included as part of the Transformational Initiatives is provided. The net impact of all changes would be a reduction in the budget of $28,684. The time-limited budget and accounting support position that was set to expire at the end of 2024 will be eliminated and the funding instead utilized to bolster other budget and accounting support services arising from Federal COVID funding that are deemed more critical and/or beneficial to the county.
1) The County’s external auditor will provide $70,000 in additional services: • Due to additional federal funding, the Auditor will perform additional Single Audit testing and certain additional requirements must be met in the performance of these services. These services will be billed at Auditor’s hourly rate but is not to exceed $30,000. • In coordination with County’s Mayors Finance and Administration, Auditor will provide training of the financial reporting manager to draft statements using Wdesk including but not limited to the government-wide statements, budgetary basis statements, footnotes, conversion entries, statistical and supplementary information. These additional services will be billed at their hourly rates in an amount not to exceed $40,000.
2) Implement a web-based Interactive Budget Book Software solution for $42,000, dropping to $35,000 the following year. Vendors have developed solutions that enable local governments to communicate their budgets in easy-to-build, modern, interactive, easy to navigate, cloud-based websites that are seamlessly embedded within a client’s existing website. The subscription would enable the county to publish web-based budget books that include narrative, graphics and other desired content utilizing a pre-built template that follows GFOA’s best practices for budget publications, and then modifying these sections to suit the County’s unique needs. The system would automate the creation of fund summary pages, charts, and tables by pulling data from the existing budget system to update the website, including adding dynamic figures to the narrative on a page to mirror budget updates. The solutions are also designed to be ADA-optimized. Currently, navigating the County’s budget documents to find what a user is looking for can be confusing and time-consuming, with budget publications consisting of multiple pdf files for each of the three budget cycles per year, each with a different focus and level of detail.
3) Eliminate the time limited position that was budgeted for $147,933 in salaries, benefits, and associated operating costs. As the Finance team has worked through the new requirements associated with the additional federal funding, support needs and opportunities have emerged that were originally unanticipated, and other tasks have been absorbed within the existing team.
Requested Action: Discussion - Vote Needed
Presenter(s) (with titles): David Delquadro, Council Fiscal Manager
Time Needed: Less than 5 MINS
Is this Item Time-Sensitive and/or Requesting a Time-Certain? No
Requesting Staff Member: Darrin Casper, Deputy Mayor of Finance and Administration CFO
Are Supporting Documents Needed for this Agenda Item Request? Yes