“State Auditor’s Office Reports ‘Cities Financial Policies Proven to Be Effective'”

• Editor’s note: While the City of Yelm touts their clean State Audit for 2018, the city failed to give credit in-part to where credit is due, former Finance Director Joe Wolfe.
• In September 2017, former Finance Director Joe Wolfe and former Senior Accountant Heidi MacDonald (now Yelm’s Interim Finance Director) were hired,
• On March 13, 2019, “The City of Yelm [was] proud to announce that City Finance Director, Joe Wolfe has been granted the designation of Certified Government Financial Manager (CGFM) by the Association of Government Accounts (sic) (AGA)…. “This acknowledges Wolfe’s unique skills and special knowledge of accounting, auditing, financial reporting, internal controls and budgeting at the federal, state and local levels which is required of today’s government financial managers.”
• On March 20, 2019, the city again lauded former Finance Director Wolfe, along with then-Senior Accountant Heidi MacDonald, for “the City’s financial statements for fiscal years 2016 and 2017.”
• In late May 2019, just 8 weeks later, Wolfe was told he should look for another job amidst an independent investigation that ruled accusations by some co-workers against him were inconclusive. Yelm’s loss was the county’s gain, as Wolfe now works in the Thurston County Auditor’s office. The city did not have the courtesy to wait until the investigation was concluded before referring Wolfe to “the door.”
• Joe Wolfe deserves the city crediting his work in the city’s clean audit!

• From the City of Yelm:

“The City of Yelm Finance Department continues to make strides in financial transparency and consistency, demonstrated in the clean audit for the fiscal year 2018, issued by the Washington State Auditor’s Office.”

“In 2017, the City turned the budget from a lengthy software printout into an award winning, comprehensive guiding document, consistent with our mission, vision and values. The City also hired a Senior Accountant, applied secondary review in the Finance Director position, began a program of continuous training, and adopted financial policies that have proven to be effective.

“In 2018, the City worked with the State Auditor’s Office to review the accounting data for the fiscal years 2014 to 2017 to identify any inaccuracies, resulting in the full reconciliation with all City banking statements for 2016 and 2017. In addition, the City implemented the first biennial budget for the years 2019-2020, and invested in a new financial management software, which enhances the ability to produce accurate annual financial statements and ensure fund balances accurately reflect cash investment balances.

“The improvements continued into 2019 by hiring an Assistant Accountant,” by the City of Yelm. Read more

Yelm’s Interim Finance Director Heidi MacDonald expected to be appointed Finance Director

The 6 month probationary period will be reached within the next month for Interim Finance Director Heidi MacDonald, at which time Mayor Foster is expected to appoint her as permanent Department Head and Finance Director. Read more