Joanne Gregory, Finance and Administration Director for the City of Kenmore, has announced her retirement which will begin later this month. Ms. Gregory has served as the City’s Finance & Administration Director since December 2007 and has served in local government finance for more than 29 years. “With clean audits, balanced budgets, healthy financial reserves, a long-range financial plan in place, and a AAA bond rating, Ms. Gregory leaves the City in excellent financial shape,” said Mayor David Baker. “She has provided outstanding and exemplary service to our community, and we will miss her very much.”

While too long to list all of her accomplishments, some of Ms. Gregory’s contributions to Kenmore over the years include:

• $124 million in funding for capital projects, including the transformation of SR 522 and many other sidewalk, trail, park, open space, and habitat restoration projects throughout the city
• Walkways & Waterways bond measure and subsequent bond issue
• Sale and subsequent redevelopment of downtown properties
• AAA bond rating from Standard & Poors
• Consecutive clean audits every year
• Long-range Financial Sustainability Plan and public engagement budget tool
• Priority Based Budgeting program
• Government Finance Officers Association Distinguished Budget Presentation Awards
• Washington Finance Officers Association Professional Finance Officer Award
• Information Technology Strategy, including digitizing much of city operations and implementation of new financial software
• Restructuring of employee health insurance, resulting in cost savings to the city while maximizing value to employees

“We’re so grateful for Joanne’s passion for public service and the huge difference she has made in Kenmore,” said City Manager Rob Karlinsey. “It would be an understatement to say she has left Kenmore a better place than when she found it. And more importantly, her example as a good, kind, and loving human being has lifted all of us and made all of us better for knowing her.”

Leticia Salcidowill start work as Kenmore’s new Finance & Administration Director the week of December 14, 2020. Ms. Salcido comes to Kenmore with over 23 years of experience in local government finance, including 13 years as the Finance Director of El Centro, California; a full service city in the Imperial Valley. “I’m thrilled to begin working with Ms. Salcido,” said Karlinsey. “She brings a passion for serving the public that really jumped out at us during the interviews.”

The selection of Ms. Salcido was the result of a nation-wide search, and she was selected among a competitive field of many qualified candidates. “We were pleased with the quality and depth of experience of those that applied for the job,” said Karlinsey. “It was a good problem to have, but in the end, we knew Ms. Salcido would be the best fit for Kenmore.”

Ms. Salcido will take over the management and direction of the City’s finance, information technology, risk management, and city clerk functions. Upcoming priorities for her department will include the next segment of the Walkways & Waterways bond issue and subsequent bond rating; monitoring and processing the funding and expenditures for the largest capital project program in the City’s history (including associated grants administration); and implementation of the 2021-2022 Biennial Budget and the long-range Financial Sustainability Plan.