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Oak Harbor finance department reports clean audit, strong grant performance and ERP rollout plan
Summary
Finance Director David Goldman reported an unmodified audit opinion, growing grant awards and active grants totaling roughly $12.2 million, planned ERP (Tyler) rollout in January 2026, and marina funding measures including a local B&O tax and dredging fees to support future dredging and breakwater work.
Oak Harbor—s finance department presented its 2025 annual report on Tuesday, highlighting audit results, grant activity, investment earnings and a multi-year plan for ERP implementation and marina funding.
Deputy City Administrator and Finance Director David Goldman told the council the city received an unmodified (clean) audit opinion for the 2024 financial and accountability audits and that the office expects a stewardship award from the state auditor. Accounting Manager Ashley Ramos said the audit team commended the city for GASB implementations and responsiveness during the ERP transition.
Grant activity and figures: Grants Administrator Wendy Horn said the city submitted 28 applications in 2025 and had 22 awards totaling "over $6,000,000" with roughly $21,000,000 still pending. Horn also reported the city currently manages 37 active grants with a stated portfolio value around $12,200,000 and said staff have recovered nearly $3,000,000 since 2023. (Staff figures were presented during the workshop and may include rounding; the city will provide official award totals in grant documentation.)
ERP and internal improvements: Accounting Manager Ashley Ramos reviewed Tyler ERP implementation: core financial modules are scheduled to go live Jan. 5, 2026, with HR/payroll and later utility billing phases slated for 2026 and 2027; staff emphasized the new chart of accounts, program-based budget tagging, and a content manager to attach supporting documentation to transactions.
Marina funding, investments and business license revenue: Goldman outlined marina funding measures including dredging fees and a local-option business-and-occupation tax adopted to build a reserve for marina rejuvenation and breakwater work. Chaz Webster presented investment performance showing elevated earnings since 2021 after moving funds into short-term bonds and the state's LGIP, with yields in the 4.5–4.7% range; staff said investment earnings were incorporated in multi-year utility and budget projections.
Outreach and next steps: Finance described outreach to affected businesses ahead of the B&O implementation, plans for internal tax-collection processes (with vendor procurement if needed), and short educational videos aimed at improving public understanding of municipal finances. The department expects to begin collecting the new tax revenue in April (first due date noted as April 30) if council confirms the ordinance.
Attribution: Facts and numbers in this article come from the finance department presentation by David Goldman, Ashley Ramos, Wendy Horn and Chaz Webster during the Nov. 25 workshop.
