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The final play of the game, the last episode of a television series or the final book in a trilogy.\u00a0 Those are milestones that both mark an end and signal the time to move on to what\u2019s next.<\/p>\n
This week I de-briefed the results of the State Auditor Office\u2019s extensive 2020 audit with our Finance Team.\u00a0 This most recent audit included an in-depth review of how Pierce County managed, spent, and accounted for the $158 million in CARES federal funding received to help our community with the impacts of the COVID pandemic.<\/p>\n
As I have said before, I\u2019m beyond proud of the way we invested those funds into our community during this devastating time. Our teams were quick, innovative and flexible.\u00a0 They provided PPE, tested and vaccinated our residents, helped put food on tables, kept people housed with rental assistance, and supported struggling businesses – among many other efforts.\u00a0 It was all done at a time of significant uncertainty – both regarding the pandemic and the ever-changing federal rules applying to the CARES funding.\u00a0 Meeting the needs of our struggling community at this crucial time was our top priority.<\/p>\n
Much of this work has since been recognized at the state and federal level for responsiveness, effectiveness, and transparency. The size and scope of the need, and the speed with which we\u00a0needed to disburse the funds, certainly made it challenging.<\/p>\n
Against that backdrop, I\u2019m especially grateful to the entire Finance Team – in particular Gary Robinson, Tom Taylor and Brandon Kirkwood – for their steadfast commitment to transparency, clarity and accuracy.\u00a0 In addition, the finance partners in the three primary departments receiving funds \u2013 Economic Development, Emergency Management, and Human Services \u2013 were vitally important in this effort to carefully account for the CARES funds.<\/p>\n
The State Auditor\u2019s review of our 2020 CARES work was comprehensive.\u00a0 I knew our innovation, flexibility, and responsiveness in supporting our community, as well as the changing federal rules, created a significant challenge for our County.\u00a0The State Auditor\u2019s review noted only two items: one identified a conflict between federal rules and state direction on a specific program, and another concerned detailed reviews for our very successful rental assistance program. \u00a0These two items were also found in many jurisdictions across the state.<\/p>\n
The most significant result for me?\u00a0 This rigorous audit of thousands of transactions did not find any indications of fraud, misspending, or misappropriation of funds.\u00a0 When you need to operate outside your normal processes – and especially when moving quickly to address key needs in the community – the risk of fraud increases.\u00a0 We have all seen news stories from within our state and around the country where hundreds of millions of CARES funding was lost to fraud.<\/p>\n
So, to close the book on our CARES spending to support our community during the pandemic, I am very proud of what we did, how we did it, and how we accounted for the spending!<\/p>\n
Switching gears, I want to share a few photos from a recent ceremony we held to dedicate the new Lucas Landing at the Steilacoom ferry terminal. It\u2019s a fitting and appropriate way to honor and remember Ron Lucas, a dedicated lifelong public servant.\u00a0 The entire \u201cbook\u201d of Ron\u2019s life was filled with serving others – in the Army, as a teacher, and more than two decades as the mayor of Steilacoom.<\/p>\n
My thanks to Ron\u2019s family for allowing us to permanently recognize his tremendous service to our community.\u00a0 This lasting \u201cfinal chapter\u201d is one that will be read over and over again by the residents of Pierce County.<\/p>\n Thanks for reading,<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Bruce<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The final play of the game, the last episode of a television series or the final book in a trilogy.\u00a0 Those are milestones that both mark an end and signal the time to move on to what\u2019s next. This week I de-briefed the results of the State Auditor Office\u2019s extensive 2020 audit with our Finance […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":59,"featured_media":3418,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[38509],"tags":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"yoast_head":"\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/blog.piercecountywa.gov\/executive\/files\/2022\/04\/Lucas-1.jpg\")
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