Get AI Briefings, Transcripts & Alerts on Local & National Government Meetings — Forever.
Finance staff update committee on ERP project, audits and utility-billing work ahead
Summary
City finance staff told the Finance & Administration Committee on Sept. 22 that the ERP implementation is advancing, audits are being closed out and utility-billing reconciliation is nearing completion.
City finance staff told the Finance & Administration Committee on Sept. 22 that the enterprise resource planning (ERP) implementation is progressing and that the department is concurrently addressing audit backlogs, utility-billing reconciliation and a citywide fee study.
The update matters because ERP modules and audit outcomes affect the city’s financial reporting, grant compliance and the ease of departmental workflows; utility-billing accuracy affects customer billing and revenue, and the fee study could change charges residents pay for municipal services.
Drew, a finance staff presenter, outlined current ERP work focusing on project/grant accounting and contract management modules. He said the team has advanced from planning to the “prepare solution” stage, is conducting testing in a nonproduction environment, and is aiming to complete those two modules in November. Drew said integrating Laserfiche (the city’s records retention system) with the ERP and automating reporting (for encumbrances, CIP tracking and grant schedules) are priority outcomes. He described the next full-day configuration session scheduled for Sept. 23 and said the goal is to reduce the manual work now required to assemble agenda bill budget tables.
Drew said human-capital modules for HR and recruiting previously considered were deemed not beneficial now and that the city canceled subscriptions for those modules; payroll and time-and-attendance modules were already completed earlier. On utility billing (phase 3), staff said a kickoff is planned for early next year and that Tyler Technologies estimated about a year to implement a full utility-billing solution. Staff reported they are working to move reclaimed-water billing from zone-based allocation to a fully metered system before an outside vendor (who currently maintains that system) retires.
Deputy Finance Director Jen B. said the department has strengthened staffing and operations: she introduced Anne Bacher, who started Aug. 1 as the city’s accountant, and described cross-training, SOP development and skills-based testing for recent recruitments. Jen said the city is preparing for the 2024 state audit and is closing out the 2022 and 2023 audits this week; she reported being told verbally that the 2022–2023 work will conclude with no findings or management letters (final confirmation pending the official state-auditor report). Jen also described an ongoing Washington State Department of Revenue leasehold tax audit, which auditors expect to conclude in about four weeks.
Staff provided specific numerical reconciliations and timelines: utility account reconciliation matched meters to system records at “96, 97 percent,” Drew said, and staff corrected a small utility tax overpayment spanning five billing cycles earlier in the year. For ERP project work, Drew said project/grant accounting and contract-management imports, testing and validation are underway and that testing is being done in a nonproduction environment to avoid disrupting daily operations.
On budget and fees, staff said Jana (project manager) is leading a comprehensive fee study covering approximately 350 fees and that the team plans to present a draft to council on Oct. 27. Staff also noted the statutorily required mid-biennial budget review is coming in November–December and that any budget amendments arising from that review would be prepared for council consideration. Staff said the city does not currently have a contract solution for business licensing and B&O tax administration and is evaluating options.
Committee members asked about the public safety sales tax and whether it would come back to committee; staff said the topic will be revisited after additional internal review and stakeholder feedback. A council member asked whether the state auditor’s backlog or timing had caused delays on city audits; Jen said the state auditor’s office scheduling had been a factor and that being current is now a goal the department is addressing.
No formal committee votes were taken on the update; the presentation served to inform council members of implementation timelines, audit status and upcoming council items (fee study, property tax ordinances, mid-biennial review). Staff identified follow-up items including continuing ERP testing, completing meter reconciliations before the utility module migration and bringing the fee-study draft to council for review.
