Deputy City Administrator and Finance Director David Goldman presented Oak Harbor’s 2025 finance annual report to council on Nov. 25, highlighting audit results, grant wins, investment returns and implementation milestones for a new ERP system.

Goldman said the city secured a $250,000 grant for the regional public‑safety training facility and played a role drafting House Bill 1791 on real‑estate excise tax changes. Grants Administrator Wendy Horn reported the grants team submitted 28 applications in 2025, received 22 awards and said the city has been awarded over $6,000,000 so far in 2025 with about $21,000,000 still pending. Horn told council the city currently manages 37 active grants worth approximately $12.2 million and has recovered nearly $3 million since 2023.

Accounting Manager Ashley Ramos described the audit outcome: “We received an unmodified opinion, which is the best option, with no material deficiencies,” and said the city is on track to receive a stewardship award from the state auditor for its responsiveness and financial practices.

On capital and project finance, Goldman reviewed the marina financing plan: the council approved a local business‑and‑occupation (B&O) tax as the primary local revenue stream to fund future dredging and breakwater work and staff outlined outreach and tax‑form preparations; the first remittances under the new schedule are expected in April (payments due Apr. 30). Goldman also noted that Fire Station 82 remains projected at a pre‑tax estimate of $67,000,000.

Technology and operations updates included the ERP (Tyler) implementation: Ashley Ramos said the core finance modules are scheduled for end‑user training and a go‑live on Jan. 5, 2026, with phase 2 (HR/payroll) following in mid‑2026 and a customer‑utility portal to follow in 2027. Finance staff described internal process improvements, planned short educational videos on government finance topics, and continued monitoring of investment returns and transportation funding.

Why it matters: officials said improved grant‑writing and investment strategy materially increased available funds and reduced pressure on ratepayers — examples Goldberg cited included investment earnings that reduced the scale of needed utility rate increases. Council praised the finance team’s performance and urged continued diligence around software compatibility and long‑term planning.

Next steps: staff will continue grant pursuit, complete ERP rollout milestones, finalize B&O tax forms and outreach to affected businesses, and present midyear revenue updates during the 2026 budgeting cycle.