County to centralize cemetery bookkeeping with Auditor-Controller; payroll transfer may take until January

Trustees approved an agreement to move the Tulare Public Cemetery District’s bookkeeping and accounting to the Tulare County Auditor-Controller, effective Nov. 4, 2025, as a step to streamline reporting and reduce duplicated accounting systems.

County Administrative Officer Jason Brett said consolidating records into the county system will improve transparency and make revenue tracking and bill payment easier; he described transitioning the Bank of Sierra account to a limited revolving fund for minimal day-to-day expenses.

A district staff member who identified herself as 'Cass' warned the board that payroll integration will be more complicated than bookkeeping because the cemetery uses different payroll systems (ADP, Oracle) and must coordinate W-2s, the IRS and the Employment Development Department. Cass said January is likely the earliest practical date to move payroll processing and asked the CAO to explore interim solutions.

Brett acknowledged payroll complications and said the plan may retain payroll processing on the cemetery side temporarily while bookkeeping is consolidated on the county side. Trustees voted 4-0 to approve the agreement with discretion to the CAO on the timing and handling of payroll issues; Supervisor Dennis Townsend did not vote because he was absent.

The board also approved cancelling the district's Nov. 18 regular meeting in favor of a fuller December update.