HomeMy WebLinkAbout2020-10-01; Notification of a Retirement and Two Finance Department Personnel Promotions; Rocha, LauraTo the members of the:
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Oct. 1, 2020
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From:
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Council Memorandum
· {cityof
Carlsbad
Memo ID #2020211
Re:
Honorable Mayor Hall and Members of the City Council
Laura Rocha, Deputy City Manager, Adi ' · trative Services
Geoff Patnoe, Assistant City Manager
Notification of a Retirement and Two mance Department Personnel Promotions
This memorandum provides information related to the retirement of Kevin Branca, the city's
current Finance Director, and notification of two finance personnel promotions as a result. ·
Background
On Dec. 30, 2020, Kevin Branca, the city's current Finance Director, will be retiring after 24 years
of service to the city. Kevin was hired as a Senior Accountant in 1996 and later promoted to the
Assistant Finance Director position in 1997. In 2014, Kevin was promoted to his current position
as the city's Finance Director. The city has been fortunate to have had Kevin's accounting and
financial expertise. He is well respected for his institutional knowledge and analytical abilities
which has served the city well for many years.
The Finance Director role is a critical position fo·r the city. To transition smoothly with minimal
downtime, the Finance Department will be appointing and promoting two highly qualified staff
members to fill critical roles as a result of Kevin's retirement.
Discussion
The Finance Department is a dynamic team of professionals who continue to meet the heavy
demands at both the department and organizational level. The Finance Department has seven
Certified Public Accountants who are well versed in municipal accounting and finance. The city's
Finance Department has received several financial and budget awards for excellence in both
financial reporting and budget management. The city is fortunate to have highly qualified
Finance Department staff that are prepared for promotional opportunities.
It is the Finance Departments' intention to appoint and promote Ryan Green, the city's Assistant
Finance Director, as the Finance Director upon Kevin's retirement. Ryan has been serving as the . .
city's Assistant Finance Director since September 2019. Ryan has over 14 years of public
accounting serving as an external auditor with a big 4 accounting firm and most recently as a
Financial Analysis and Accounting Policy Officer at NATO. Ryan has degrees in both business and
economics, with an emphasis in accounting and business administration, and is also a certified
public accountant.
Administrative Services Branch
Finance Department
1635 Faraday Avenue I Carlsbad, CA 92008 I 760-602-2430 t .
Council Memo -Notification of Retirement and Two Personnel Promotions
Oct. 1, 2020
Page 2
During Ryan's service at the City of Carlsbad, he has demonstrated the required leadership and
technical skills of a Finance Director. He has quickly become a trusted source for staff. Ryan is
well respected for his know_ledge, analytical abilities and is innovative and open minded. He has
demonstrated positive, creative leadership in both favorable and adverse conditions.
This past year, Ryan has prepared and taken several financial items to the City Council, including:
• Fiscal Year 2018-19 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report
• Community Choice Energy Financing Alternatives
• Buena Vista Channel Annual Report
• Community Facility District #1 Annual Report
• Lighting and Landscape District's Annual Report
Additionally, Ryan has served in a leadership capacity by:
• Taking a leadership role in the fiscal year 2018-19 audit, and leading the charge for the
fiscal year 2019-20 audit
• Leading a cross departmental team that successfully argued and secured $2.1 million of
the city's redevelopment obligation funding with the California Department of Finance
• Demonstrating his ability to supervise others and effectively supervising a team of
accountants, accounts payable clerks and the Assistant to the City Treasurer
• Playing a key role on the Golf Course Steering Committee and building a strong rapport
with its members by attending all meetings
Ryan has also led process improvement initiatives over the past year, including:
• Creation of the city's administrative order on cash funds in response to the internal audit
report on cash handling. Since then, all cash handlers and authorized approvers have
attended trainings on handling city funds and authorizing city expenditures. ·
• During.the COVID-19 pandemic, transition of many of the city's finance functions to
mostly, if not 100%, electronic.
It is with great pleasure that we appoint and promote Ryan Green as the new Finance Director,
upon Kevin's retirement.
Upon Ryan's acceptance of the Finance Director role, the Assistant Finance Director position will
be vacant. Roxanne Muhlmeister, the city's current Budget Manager, is exceptionally well-suited
for this position. Roxanne has been employed with the city for over 12 years and has over 18
years of non-profit and municipal finance experience. She began her career at the city as an
accountant, and in 2018 was appointed and promoted to the role of Budget Manager. Roxanne
is a certified public accountant and holds a degree in business administration with an emphasis in
accounting. Throughout her career with the city, Roxanne has been considered a (Igo-to" person
for many employees throughout the organization. She is well respected amongst her co-workers
and has demonstrated sound leadership and technical skill sets. The following are some
noteworthy highlights about Roxanne:
Council Memo -Notification of Retirement and Two Personnel Promotions
Oct. 1, 2020
Page 3
• A trusted resource who excels in researching issues, having historical knowledge, and
ability to solve complex problems
• Led the City of Carlsbad in the development of a balanced budget during a pandemic
• Thorough knowledge of Governmental Accounting Standards and financial statement
preparation
• Presented numerous key items to the City Council:
o City of Carlsbad Annual Operating and Capital Improvement Budgets
o Annual budget carryforwards
o CFD #1
o . Lighting & Landscaping Districts annual assessments and annexations
o Coordinated and assisted with the City Council Financial Symposium {2019)
• Participates as the Chapter Chair for the San Diego Chapter of the California Society of
Municipal Finance Officers
• Experience supervising budgeting processes, financial reporting, being staff lead on
annual audits and as a key player on a major financial software conversion
Roxanne is committed to process improvement and continually seeks out areas to gain
efficiencies or savings. Below are successes for the city, as a result:
• Along with communications, led the city to a new budget process as well as a complete
revamp of the annual budget document for fiscal year 2019-20
• Her team completed an overhaul of the city's approach to cost of service and fees in 2019
• Led a cross-functional team in developing processes for reconciling the city's former
recreation software with the city's IFAS system (in 2013 and 2019)
• Facilitated an audit of streetlight billings with SDG&E which saved the city approximately
$30K per year, and an audit of fee account mapping from the EnerGov permitting system
to a financial system which corrected several misapplied revenue transactions
We intend to offer Roxanne the Assistant Finance Director position when vacated by Ryan Green.
Upon her acceptance, the Finance Department will begin the recruitment of the position vacated
by Roxanne upon Kevin's retirement.
The Finance Department is fortunate to have two exceptional employees in both Roxanne and
Ryan, and the city is pleased to provide internal opportunities for them.
Next Steps
Ryan Green and Roxanne Muhlmeister will be notified within the next week of the decision to
appoint and promote them as Finance Director and Assistant Finance Director, respectively.
Upon their acceptance, Kevin, Ryan, and Roxanne will work together on a smooth transition of
the responsibilities within the Finance Department. The Finance Department will open the
recruitment for the vacant position from the appointment and promotion of Roxanne shortly
before the end of the calendar year.
Council Memo -Notification of Retirement and Two Personnel Promotions
Oct. 1, 2020
Page 4
cc: Scott Chadwick, City Manager
Celia Brewer, City Attorney