The State Auditor's Office (SAO) has introduced new resources to help local government finance staff manage complex financial tasks. These include a guide clarifying county obligations to special purpose districts and an updated segregation of duties guide for government employees. The new resources address common challenges in financial management, such as determining required services for special purpose districts and managing duties with limited staff. The SAO also announced upcoming training sessions on the Annual Budgeting, Accounting and Reporting System (BARS) updates. Local governments in Thurston County, including Olympia, will benefit from these tools as they manage budgets and financial reporting for city services, parks, and public safety programs.
SAO Launches New Finance Resources for Local Governments
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📄 Source: City News — https://sao.wa.gov/the-audit-connection-blog/2026/wfoa-2026-conference-saos-resource-and-information-hub
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- ✓The State Auditor's Office (SAO) has introduced new resources“New resource for counties and special purpose districts (PDF): County-SPD relationships can be complex, especially when it comes to required versus optional services, warrant payments and opening separate bank accounts. Our latest guide, Requirements of counties to provide certain services to special purpose districts (PDF), clarifies what they’re required to do for special purpose districts, plus fee limitations and warrant practices. It’s designed to help finance staff navigate complex statutes with confidence.”
- ✓The new resources help local government finance staff manage complex financial tasks“New resource for counties and special purpose districts (PDF): County-SPD relationships can be complex, especially when it comes to required versus optional services, warrant payments and opening separate bank accounts. Our latest guide, Requirements of counties to provide certain services to special purpose districts (PDF), clarifies what they’re required to do for special purpose districts, plus fee limitations and warrant practices. It’s designed to help finance staff navigate complex statutes with confidence.”
- ✓The new resources include a guide clarifying county obligations to special purpose districts“Our latest guide, Requirements of counties to provide certain services to special purpose districts (PDF), clarifies what they’re required to do for special purpose districts, plus fee limitations and warrant practices.”
- ✓The new resources include an updated segregation of duties guide for government employees“Updated Segregation of duties guide (PDF): We recently updated one of our most popular resources, the Segregation of duties guide, now with a new chapter focusing on federal awards. The Guide includes: Duties you should segregate, given certain roles for a specific financial process Best practices for using technology to enforce segregation of duties Example strategies you might use to assign tasks and responsibilities when you have only one, two or three employees”
- ⚠The new resources address common challenges in financial managementNo usable supporting receipt — unverified.
- ✓The new resources address determining required services for special purpose districts“Requirements of counties to provide certain services to special purpose districts (PDF), clarifies what they’re required to do for special purpose districts, plus fee limitations and warrant practices. It’s designed to help finance staff navigate complex statutes with confidence.”
- ⚠The new resources address managing duties with limited staffNo usable supporting receipt — unverified.
- ✓The SAO also announced upcoming training sessions on the Annual Budgeting, Accounting and Reporting System (BARS) updates“Coming soon: annual BARS update trainings: Watch our expert-led sessions to stay ahead with accounting updates and audit readiness. Annual Budgeting, Accounting and Reporting System (BARS) Manual updates are recorded and posted to our website every fall.”
- ⚠Local governments in Thurston County will benefit from these toolsNo usable supporting receipt — unverified.
- ⚠Olympia is a local government in Thurston CountyNo usable supporting receipt — unverified.
- ⚠Local governments in Thurston County will manage budgets and financial reporting for city servicesNo usable supporting receipt — unverified.
- ⚠Local governments in Thurston County will manage budgets and financial reporting for parksNo usable supporting receipt — unverified.
- ⚠Local governments in Thurston County will manage budgets and financial reporting for public safety programsNo usable supporting receipt — unverified.
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