Crookston City Council approves month-to-month agreement with CliftonLarsonAllen for audit support

The Crookston City Council voted to authorize a statement-of-work agreement with CliftonLarsonAllen LLP (CLA) for accounting and advisory services to help complete the city’s 2024 audit and assist staff during a finance leadership transition.

A city staff member told the council the agreement is month-to-month and can be terminated with 30 days’ written notice. “The statement of work includes assistance…with financial statement preparation, audit coordination, internal control review, financial reporting support, and other related services as requested by city management,” the staff member said.

Council members asked about cost. The staff member said hourly rates in the contract are high and that “in the past, it's cost about $200,000 a year,” adding that “in the last 2 years, we've spent over $400,000 in services,” which included interim finance‑director duties performed by CLA. Staff said the city had budgeted roughly $75,000 for CLA services in 2025 but expects that amount to decline after the new finance director is fully in place.

The staff member said an offer to a finance director candidate was accepted and a background check is underway; the candidate is expected to appear before council at the next meeting. The council completed a roll-call vote and approved the resolution to authorize the CLA agreement.

Next steps: the agreement takes effect immediately under the terms described and staff will return with details about the new finance director at the next council meeting.