COVID-19

The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) established the Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (CSLFRF), assistance listing number of 21.027. CSLFRF provides $65.1 billion directly to counties and another $65.1 billion to cities and other municipalities. These funds represent a substantial infusion of resources to meet pandemic response needs and rebuild a stronger and more equitable economy as the country recovers.

The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) established the Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund (CSLFRF) program, administered by the U.S. Treasury, Assistance Listing Number 21.027. One eligible use of these program funds allows governments to replace lost revenue in order to avoid cuts in their services.

Today Gov. Inslee announced most state employees will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as a condition of employment, and he encouraged separately elected officials to adopt the same approach.

The Office of the Washington State Auditor will follow that proclamation. Everyone who works at SAO will be required to be fully vaccinated by Oct. 18, with exceptions only for health and religious reasons.

Updated: March 26, 2021, most recently updated: August 4, 2021

Over time, there have been a number of changes to the guidance for single audit due dates and information to be reported on the Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Awards (SEFA).

Are you finding that you have a few stressors in your life these days? Your dining room table is also a home office and school desk; your cat interrupts important virtual meetings with your boss; so much togetherness! Connecting to a strong sense of purpose might just help you deal more effectively with stress whatever your situation might be.

The Office of the Washington State Auditor made the move to remote auditing in March, and overall we have found the transition to be successful and sustainable for the foreseeable future. However, we have noticed that audits sometimes take a little longer in this environment. In adapting to auditing in a remote environment, flexibility and robust communication have been key to performing timely audits.

School districts, like so many governments, continue to face challenging situations due to the COVID-19 pandemic. They have had to shutter schools, convert to remote learning quickly, and move to remote working all while continuing to provide essential services to their students. As school districts look to the start of school and beyond, they continue to face new challenges during these uncertain times.

The permitting counter was usually a busy place at a local city or county government, with contractors and homeowners stopping in to ask questions or buy permits. Most entities have probably changed their processes to reduce interpersonal contact since the pandemic started.

For some, it might be time to re-evaluate if your temporary solution is working for you and what other options you might have. Here is a current list of resources we have found that could help you.

Options and considerations

Local governments looking for guidance on managing federal funding provided through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act will find value in this new, in-depth article from the Municipal Research and Services Center (MRSC): MRSC Guidance for CARES Act Grants to Small Businesses

Here is a safe bet: You have led more virtual meetings in the past few months than in the prior year. Maybe it has gone from one a month to one a week. Or from one a week to one a day. Or many each day. Virtual meetings are on the rise for everyone, so what can we do to make them better?

Remember the Basics

Even though it's virtual, it's still a meeting. So advice about better meetings still applies, and is even more important because virtual meetings can be more challenging. What are those basics?