Ryan Domino, CPA, is a Partner in LSL’s Assurance & Advisory department and has over 12 years of experience working with government agencies. His primary area of expertise and focus is researching auditing and accounting standards, including GASB pronouncements, and the federal Uniform Guidance, and conducting the audits of special districts and mid-size cities. He has also earned the AICPA’s Advanced Certification for the planning and execution of Single Audits.

Ryan oversees engagements for a variety of governmental clients, providing accounting guidance and other services, including audits, consulting and other agreed-upon procedures, and ACFR preparation, with a high level of care and precision. Ryan is also a regular speaker at LSL’s annual GASB Update on technical topics and is responsible for overseeing the government services department’s annual audit trainings.

• American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA)
• California Society of Certified Public Accountants (CalCPA)
• California Society of Municipal Finance Officers (CSMFO)
• Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA)
• Texas Society Of Certified Public Accountants (TXCPA)

The Circle of Life: Prepare Staff for Transition to New Audit Team

Changing auditors is an unfortunate fact of life, and often comes with an increased workload and stress for your finance team. As contracts end, RFPs are issued, and new firms are selected – how can you ensure that you keep things running smoothly and stress levels with your team are managed? Changing auditors comes with the advantage of a fresh set of eyes reviewing your numbers, but the flip side is a loss of institutional knowledge that must be relearned by the new auditors.

LSL Partner, Ryan Domino, CPA with City of Carlsbad’s Finance Director, Zach Korach will go through real-life examples and experiences of undergoing the change in audit firms, and provide tips and guidance to ensure an effective, efficient, and overall positive experience when working with a new audit firm.

GASB Update & Upcoming Projects: What’s on the horizon?

LSL Partner, Ryan Domino, CPA will start the day off with a brief recap of GASB 96 and compensated absences, plus explore upcoming GASB pronouncements – whether they are in exposure draft form or in deliberation. Gain insights into what lies on the horizon and be prepared for the changes to come to local government finance departments.

GASB Overview: 91, 94, 100 and 101

LSL Government Services Partner, Ryan Domino, CPA, will cover: GASB 91 – Conduit Debt Obligations, GASB 94 – Public-Private and Public-Public Partnerships, GASB 100 – Accounting Changes and Error Corrections, and GASB 101 – Compensated Absences.

GASB 91 & 94: Practical Applications

Focusing on GASB 96 this year? Rightly so! But there are two other GASB pronouncements taking effect that might be flying under your radar. This webinar will help you get ready to implement GASB 91 & 94 and goes over the most common applications of those pronouncements for local governments. Join LSL Partner, Ryan Domino, CPA as he shares the expected impact GASB 91 & 94 will have on most governments, changes to financial reporting requirements, and the effect on your 2023 fiscal year audits.

Back to Basics | Uniform Guidance

Navigating federal grant compliance just got trickier, but don’t worry—LSL’s Partners, Assurance & Advisory, Ryan Domino, CPA, and Christian Townes, CPA, have you covered! This session decodes the latest revisions, from NOFOs to whistleblower protections, and everything in between. These changes, effective October 1, 2024, will impact how you manage grants, so bring your questions and get ready for an interactive, insight-packed discussion. Stay compliant, stay ahead, and keep those grants flowing smoothly!

Maximizing Transient Occupancy Tax Revenue: Don’t Leave Money on the Table

Did you know that unmonitored Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) collections could be costing your municipality millions? Many local governments rely on these taxes but fail to track remitters effectively, leading to significant revenue loss. Join LSL Partner, Ryan Domino, CPA to explore practical strategies to monitor TOT, improve compliance, and ensure fair enforcement.

Kelly Telford is a Partner in LSL’s Consulting & Advisory Department bringing over 20 years of experience in working in and with government agencies.  Her background as previous Director of Finance for city and county agencies gives her unique insight and specialized expertise in accounting and auditing, financial forecasting, and budget development, along with investment and grant management.

With a passion for local government and extensive technical knowledge in governmental accounting, she has built an advisory practice where she and her team assist local governments with their finance, accounting and operational needs every day. Kelly excels in transforming conventional approaches to more innovative methods that help organizations more easily develop a clear, defined path to accomplishing their goals and objectives. Her strategic focus on transparency and trust makes her one of the top consultants and speakers in the governmental industry.

• American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA)
• Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE)
• California Society of Certified Public Accountants (CalCPA)
• Chartered Global Management Accountant (CGMA)
• California Society of Municipal Finance Officers (CSMFO)
• Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA)

GASB Update

Kelly Telford will present a comprehensive GASB Update, highlighting actionable insights on newly issued GASB statements, upcoming topics on the GASB’s radar, and critical considerations for this year. Attendees will learn practical steps to implement new standards, prepare for future changes, and ensure compliance with the latest governmental accounting requirements.

How to Let Go of Unclaimed Property

Government agencies are required to follow the State of California’s escheatment process for unclaimed property, yet many have not evaluated the funds they have on hand that are subject to these requirements. Deposits payable continues to be the least reviewed and reconciled liability accounts in the Finance Department because the reality is that Finance doesn’t control these accounts… usually the Community Development Department and Public Works Department do.
LSL Partner, Kelly Telford, CPA will discuss the challenges in identifying funds that are subject to the States escheatment process and will present best practices in implementing policies and procedures that organizations can follow to ensure compliance moving forward. Kelly Telford, CPA will also present a case study of the City of Elk Grove and demonstrate the results achieved as they undertook this project in 2023.

Finding New Ways to Do the Same Work with Fewer People

Kelly outlines a four-pronged approach for addressing staffing issues and workflow bottlenecks while safeguarding your Finance Department from future challenges. She provides insight and practical ways to move away from temporary fixes and embrace lasting change. Her transformative solution empowers organizations of any size to achieve greater productivity and efficiency by doing more with less.

Year-End Close Best Practices: How to get caught up!

Kelly Telford, CPA understands that navigating the aftermath of COVID-19 is no easy task. Learn strategies to bring your government finance department back on track, avoid audit pain points and address persistent challenges like fixed assets, long-term debt, and cash bank reconciliations. Get the building blocks to rebuild your year-end close timeline to empower your staff and keep them on task.

How to Address Your Staffing Issues with the Resources You Already Have

Kelly discusses effective ways to address staffing challenges year-round and how to overcome budget limitations while establishing long-term benefits. She provides insights on helping employees advance in their careers, empowering them to take on greater responsibilities and aligning with organizational needs through growth opportunities and a clear path to success.

Using Your ERP System to Help Relieve Staffing Challenges

Kelly offers guidance on utilizing technology as a solution to improve efficiency and reduce the burden on your staff, whether it is maximizing your current ERP system or exploring new software options. She shares practical tips, including how to maximize your current ERP software, leverage paperless solutions, and transition tasks from spreadsheets to the ERP system. Kelly highlights how technology can be used to support and empower your team.

ERP Panel: Implementation Lessons Learned

Implementation Lessons Learned: Switching to a new ERP system can feel like a rollercoaster—exciting, terrifying, and full of unexpected twists. LSL’s Partner, Consulting & Advisory, Kelly Telford, CPA will be joined by a panel of industry leaders to share their firsthand experiences with selecting, implementing, and evaluating new ERP systems. Did they get the results they were hoping for? Was the change worth it? And what unexpected twists did they encounter along the way? Whether you’re preparing for an ERP upgrade or just exploring your options, get firsthand insights from your peers who’ve been through it.

Analysis for Your 457b/401a Plan is Done. What Do You Do Now? Best Practices and Next Steps

You’ve started assessing your 457b/401a plans and you think you have room for improvement—now what? The next steps you take are critical in ensuring your plan provides the maximum value to employees, reduces fees, and enhances their retirement potential….and yours.  Join us for the second part of our 457b/401a plan webinar series, where we’ll dive into the best practices in managing an effective plan and what can be done to address issues that we may not even know we have.
Back for Round 2 – LSL’s Kelly Telford, CPA, and Noah Daniels, CPFO, CPA (both former finance directors) will be joined by Paul Whipple of Empower and Sean Meier of OPCO to share the journey through the process of 457b/401a plan evaluation and what steps they took to improve their employees’ retirement outcomes.

Are you Meeting Your Fiduciary Obligations? Understanding Your Role in Managing 457b/401a Plans

Managing a 457b/401a plan for your government employees may come with more responsibility than you realize. As an executive leader, it’s critical to understand your fiduciary duties and be aware of the potential impacts of high fees, underperforming investments, and oversight gaps to ensure the plan’s success and protect employee’s benefits.
LSL’s Kelly Telford, CPA ,and Noah and Noah Daniels, CPFO, CPA (both former finance directors) will be joined by Paul Whipple of Empower and Sean Meier of OPCO to discuss the crucial responsibilities of managing 457b/401a plans in local government agencies. Their real-world experiences as former finance directors will help guide you through the essential steps of ensuring your plan is optimized for your employees.

Prepare for GASB 103 Changes: Get Ahead of the New Financial Reporting Model

Feeling uncertain about GASB 103? You’re not alone! This update to the financial reporting model will impact areas of your ACFR, and it’s critical to be prepared before the changes take full effect.
Join LSL Consulting & Advisory Partner, Kelly Telford, CPA as she breaks down the essentials of GASB 103.

Sales & Use Tax Survival Guide: What Every Multi-State Business Must Know

As multi-state businesses continue to expand, the complexities of reporting Sales & Use Tax and remaining compliant is an ongoing challenge. From understanding physical and economic nexus (sufficient connection between a business and a state that creates a tax obligation) to navigating exemptions and voluntary disclosure agreements, ensuring compliance has never been more critical – or more complicated – for your business.

Join LSL’s Consulting & Advisory Partner, Kelly Telford, CPA, and Source Advisors’ Kamal Shah as they break down the fundamentals, latest updates, and actionable steps for compliance.

Brandon Young, Assurance & Advisory Partner, specializes in providing audit and consulting services to state and local governments and municipalities. With a focus on enhancing financial operations, he assists his clients by addressing staffing gaps, automating processes, and implementing solutions that stabilize departments during high turnover or recruiting challenges.

Brandon is adept at documenting procedures to streamline processes, reinforce internal controls, and ensure clarity and consistency in financial operations. Brandon is committed to helping clients innovate and develop sustainable strategies that leverage existing resources to move their departments forward efficiently.

• American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA)
• California Society of Certified Public Accountants (CalCPA)
• California Society of Municipal Finance Officers (CSMFO)
• Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA)

Emerging Issues in State & Local Governments

He’ll join other professionals to discuss ‘Emerging Issues in State and Local Government,’ covering topics like the current environment, ESG, digital assets, settlements, IRA 2022, FDTA/taxonomy, contracting between auditors/governments, auditing GASB statements 100 to 103, and common financial reporting questions. Don’t miss out on these valuable insights!

Panel of Peers: How Some Local Governments are Addressing Staffing Shortages in New Ways

Listen to words of wisdom directly from your peers who have gone through it and made it out the other side! LSL Partner, Brandon Young, CPA will host a panel of current finance department leaders, including Patricia Song from City of Garden Grove, who are experiencing the same staffing shortages, increasing workload, and learning curve of new employees. They will share how they’ve addressed these challenges in the current environment – find out what’s worked for them!

GASB Update

Join LSL Partner, Brandon Young for an essential update on the latest GASB standards impacting local government agencies. This session will cover recent pronouncements, implementation guidance, and practical strategies for compliance. Whether you’re navigating new accounting requirements or preparing for your next audit, this presentation will equip finance professionals with the knowledge needed to stay ahead of regulatory changes and maintain accurate, transparent financial reporting.”

Emerging State and Local Issues:

LSL Partner Brandon Young, CPA will be taking the stage at the AICPA GAAC Conference to discuss Emerging State and Local Issues. This session will break down key issues and trends that are shaping the future of state and local governments. Be there to get the latest scoop on what’s coming next!

Uniform Guidance Update

Navigating federal grant compliance just got trickier, but don’t worry—LSL’s Partners, Assurance & Advisory, Ryan Domino, CPA, and Christian Townes, CPA, have you covered! This session decodes the latest revisions, from NOFOs to whistleblower protections, and everything in between. These changes, effective October 1, 2024, will impact how you manage grants, so bring your questions and get ready for an interactive, insight-packed discussion. Stay compliant, stay ahead, and keep those grants flowing smoothly!

Back to Basics | Leases & SBITA Accounting: Year Two & Beyond

Are leases and SBITAs a confusing maze? Does the mere thought of year-end give you a headache because you’re not sure how to tackle the ongoing requirements of GASB 87 and GASB 96? Don’t worry—we’ve got you covered.

Join Christian Townes, Partner, & Amber Haston, Manager, as they dive into lease and SBITA accounting for year two and beyond. Our expert team will break down the GASB guidelines and share best practices for your year-end analysis. You’ll get a detailed, step-by-step guide on what to watch for, ensuring your lease and SBITA accounting is accurate and complete. This is your chance to learn the fastest ways to evaluate changes, streamline your process, and master the new norm with ease and speed!

Noah Daniels is a Director in LSL’s Consulting & Advisory department, holding dual certifications as a CPA and CPFO (Certified Public Finance Officer). After an earlier tenure at LSL, Noah is thrilled to return, bringing a wealth of experience and a fresh perspective to the team. Specializing in local government finance and accounting, on top of his many years of audit experience, he brings nearly nine years of experience from a government finance office, where he advanced to the role of Finance Director.

His hands-on approach and deep understanding of municipal finance challenges enable him to deliver impactful, actionable insights to clients, and effectively addressed complex technical issues and practical solutions to enhance financial operations.

• American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA)
• California Society of Municipal Finance Officers (CSMFO)
• Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA)

IT Strategic Plan: A blueprint for Transformation

An IT Strategic Plan (ITSP) isn’t just a document—it’s a roadmap to real change! The City of Thousand Oaks embraced this approach, using its ITSP not only to look at how they will modernize technology but to bring departments together, build a shared vision and take a major leap forward with change management. Learn about what it took to align departments into a singular citywide vision and how you might turn an IT plan into real, lasting transformation.
Join LSL’s Director, Consulting & Advisory, Noah Daniels, CPFO, CPA, and Carrie Matson, Deputy Finance Director from the City of Thousand Oaks, as they take you behind the scenes on how discussion about vision and needs can help drive meaningful change.

Haston: Internal Service Funds

Does your agency have an internal service fund? If you have centralized management of services like fleet or information technology, you may have one or multiple! But do you know if your internal service fund is really operating like an internal service fund? Are you fully recovering the costs of your internal services and using this as a financial planning tool for your organization? Is your rate setting methodology in accordance with industry best practices? Internal service funds can be a tool to help you mitigate unanticipated budget demands and more regularly allocate costs to the contributing funds. Further, these funds can improve the transparency and accountability of an agency’s operations. Whether you’re considering establishing an internal service fund or are trying to assess if yours is financially healthy, this session will educate you on the proper funding of an internal service while remaining compliant with accounting standards.
Panelists will discuss the different types of internal service funds, considerations in setting them up, and best practices for rate setting methodology. Hear from the City of Newport Beach, and its successful use of different funding mechanisms – pay-as-you-go model and reserve model – for its internal service funds to manage activities such as information technology, fleet and equipment maintenance and replacement, and risk management.

Analysis for Your 457b/401a Plan is Done. What Do You Do Now? Best Practices and Next Steps

You’ve started assessing your 457b/401a plans and you think you have room for improvement—now what? The next steps you take are critical in ensuring your plan provides the maximum value to employees, reduces fees, and enhances their retirement potential….and yours.  Join us for the second part of our 457b/401a plan webinar series, where we’ll dive into the best practices in managing an effective plan and what can be done to address issues that we may not even know we have.
Back for Round 2 – LSL’s Kelly Telford, CPA, and Noah Daniels, CPFO, CPA (both former finance directors) will be joined by Paul Whipple of Empower and Sean Meier of OPCO to share the journey through the process of 457b/401a plan evaluation and what steps they took to improve their employees’ retirement outcomes.
Are you Meeting Your Fiduciary Obligations? Understanding Your Role in Managing 457b/401a Plans
Managing a 457b/401a plan for your government employees may come with more responsibility than you realize. As an executive leader, it’s critical to understand your fiduciary duties and be aware of the potential impacts of high fees, underperforming investments, and oversight gaps to ensure the plan’s success and protect employee’s benefits.

LSL’s Kelly Telford, CPA ,and Noah and Noah Daniels, CPFO, CPA (both former finance directors) will be joined by Paul Whipple of Empower and Sean Meier of OPCO to discuss the crucial responsibilities of managing 457b/401a plans in local government agencies. Their real-world experiences as former finance directors will help guide you through the essential steps of ensuring your plan is optimized for your employees.

Back to Basics | Capital Assets Crash Course

Are you feeling the pressure of year-end close? Let’s add capital assets to the mix!  Juggling dual cycle runs, plus finalizing your capital asset schedules can be overwhelming. But don’t worry—we’re here to help.
Join LSL Director, Noah Daniels, CPA, and Senior Manager, James Butera, CPA, as they provide a crash course on capital assets—breaking down the lifecycle from recording and classifying new assets, managing acquisitions and disposals, to calculating depreciation and ensuring your financial statements are audit-ready. With real-world experience (both former finance directors), they’ll share key insights into common errors, best practices, and audit preparation tips to ensure nothing falls through the cracks.

Riley Greenlee is a Senior Manager in LSL’s Assurance and Advisory department. He has extensive experience in all phases of local government audits, first time ACFR implementations, and Single Audits. He is an active GFOA technical reviewer and holds an Advance Single Audit Certificate from AICPA and has background in assisting governments for achieving the GFOA certificate of achievement for excellence in financial reporting for the first time and beyond.

Riley’s expertise includes planning the nature, timing, and extent of audit procedures in accordance with Government Auditing Standards and the provisions of the Single Audit Act under Uniform Guidance. He also assists clients with the preparation and review of GASB 68, 75, 87 and 96 journal entries, the ACFR, and the Schedule of Federal Expenditures and Awards.

• California Society of Certified Public Accountants (CalCPA)
• California Society of Municipal Finance Officers (CSMFO)
• American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA)
• Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA)

Back to Basics | Pension & OPEB

Do pension and OPEB entries have you burning the midnight oil—worried you’ll miss a key date or footnote requirement?

In this Back to Basics session, LSL Manager Riley Greenlee, CPA, will walk you through the foundational steps of year-end prep for GASB 68 and 75. From understanding key terminology to organizing your journal entries and schedules, this session is designed to help you feel prepared and in control before audit season hits.

Back to Basics | Put the Pieces Together: A Guide to Bank Reconciliations

Do you often face challenges in reconciling your bank statements? From understanding the basics of bank reconciliations to preparing for your audit with confidence – we’ve got you covered!

Join LSL Managers, Riley Greenlee, CPA and Louis Li, as they outline the fundamentals for beginners: why reconciliations are necessary, the key documents you need, and the common mistakes to avoid. They will explain how to ensure the GL matches the bank’s records, the importance of communication between departments, how to handle timing issues that can cause discrepancies, and more!