In the staid world of municipal finance, the City of Renton's Finance Department has nabbed themselves a bit of a coup – the 2025 State Auditor's Stewardship Award (SASA), courtesy of the Washington State Auditor's Office. The honor recognizes the city's gold-star performance in promoting government accountability and transparency. The award was presented to the finance team during a September 8 council meeting by a lineup of state auditors, including the big cheese of the auditor's office, Pat McCarthy, according to the City of Renton.
In a statement on the City of Renton's website, McCarthy praised the city for doing a great job on their 2024 financial report. She said the team put in a lot of effort, did their homework, and handled the tough audit process smoothly.
The commendations didn't stop there. Kari Roller, Renton's Finance Department Administrator, and her squad of numbers ninjas were given a pat on the back for their teamwork and sharp fiscal reporting. "It is a great honor to be recognized by the State Auditor's Office with this award, which aligns exactly with our department’s mission of accuracy and transparency," Roller said, signaling a strong sense of pride in her department's work ethic and output. Alongside Roller, Fiscal Services Director Kristin Trivelas, Budget and Accounting Manager Nate Malone, and Senior Finance Analyst Ariel Llorach received individual accolades for their contributions, as reported by the City of Renton.
Renton Mayor Armondo Pavone didn't miss the opportunity to pour on the praise, championing the finance department's role as the unsung heroes of city operations. "The Finance Department touches everything we do in the City of Renton, and the work they do is vital," Pavone exclaimed, according to the statement read at the reception, where the finance folks got to briefly bask "to publicly stand in the spotlight" – a rare moment for ledgers and spreadsheets to take center stage.
Earlier this year, the Government Finance Officers Association showered them with the Excellence in Financial Reporting Award and the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award. All these awards go to show that when it comes to number-crunching and ledger-balancing, Renton is apparently where it's at. Score one for the accountants, as per the City of Renton.
