Sustaining Finance Department Operations for the City of Annapolis Through a Leadership Transition
How Harbor View Consulting provided interim leadership for the City of Annapolis Finance Department, documented its core processes, and delivered the FY2027 budget while supporting a steady leadership transition.
5 Months
Engagement Duration
Acting Finance Director
Interim Leadership Provided
100+ SOPs
Provided to the City
FY2027 Budget
Delivered On Schedule
Client Overview
Supporting the Finance Department of the City of Annapolis.
The City of Annapolis is the State Capital of Maryland and home to a historic waterfront community. Its Finance Department oversees a broad municipal finance environment that includes a General Fund, multiple Enterprise Funds, Internal Service Funds, and a six-year Capital Improvement Program. Each of these calls for careful stewardship, regulatory compliance, and reliable reporting for leadership, elected officials, and residents.
In early 2026, during a transition in senior finance leadership, the City engaged Harbor View Consulting to provide continuity and senior-level financial support. The timing coincided with the annual budget season and the completion of the prior-year audit, which made steady leadership especially valuable during this period.
Engagement Profile
- City of Annapolis, State Capital of Maryland
- General, Enterprise, Internal Service, and Special funds
- Six-year Capital Improvement Program
- Tyler Munis (ERP) and OpenGov (budgeting)
- Senior finance leadership in transition
- Active FY2027 budget season
The Challenge
Supporting the department through a leadership transition.
As the search for permanent leadership continued, the City needed experienced support to keep the Finance Department's priorities on track and moving forward.
Leadership in Transition
A transition in senior finance leadership meant the department needed interim approval authority and executive oversight while the City searched for a permanent director, at a time of broader change across City leadership.
A Fixed Budget Calendar
The FY2027 operating and capital budget needed to be built, introduced, and adopted on a statutory calendar, while day-to-day approvals, billing, payroll, and reconciliations continued without interruption.
Processes to Document
Many of the department's core processes were not yet documented and relied on individual staff knowledge. Capturing that knowledge would support continuity and make onboarding and audit preparation easier over time.
How Harbor View Helped
Hands-on leadership, paired with lasting documentation. A Harbor View partner served as Acting Finance Director, with a senior consultant providing additional support. We combined day-to-day leadership with process documentation so that both moved forward together across four areas of work.
Interim Finance Leadership & Team Continuity
Senior Oversight
A Harbor View partner served as Acting Finance Director, providing approval authority, escalation coverage, and consistent direction throughout the transition.
Daily Operations & Approvals
Managed the daily Tyler Munis approval queue for invoices, purchase orders, and journal entries, and resolved recurring items to keep AP, billing, cash, and payroll moving.
Team Cadence & Communication
Established daily stand-ups and a weekly meeting rhythm across AP, Billing, and Accounting, and delivered regular updates to finance staff and City leadership.
Process Documentation & Continuity
Structured Walkthroughs
Conducted recorded process walkthroughs with the staff who perform each activity, confirming triggers, owners, approvals, systems, and outputs. This built an inventory of 171 finance activities.
AI-Assisted SOP Development
Used a purpose-built, AI-assisted workflow to convert walkthrough recordings into standardized SOPs, which allowed the team to document processes efficiently while maintaining accuracy.
Organized & Delivered
Organized each procedure by function, including AP, Billing and AR, Payroll, Cash, Accounting, Budget, and Compliance, and delivered the completed SOP documents to the City for its ongoing training and reference use.
FY2027 Budget Delivery
End-to-End Budget Build
Led the FY2027 budget across all fund types and developed the six-year Capital Improvement Program (FY2027 to FY2032), working alongside the City's budget team throughout the cycle.
Council Presentation & Adoption
Delivered the Mayor's proposed budget and presented to City Council on schedule, then supported the budget hearings and amendment process through adoption.
Process & Reporting Enhancements
Enhanced existing budget processes using technology and developed new reporting to help inform policy decisions.
Audit Support & Governance
Completing a Delayed Audit
The team joined a prior-year audit that was still in progress and behind schedule. Because completing the ACFR was a prerequisite for advancing the FY2027 budget, the team prioritized the close and worked with the City to finish it, with the ACFR completed in March.
Auditor Coordination & Controls
Coordinated with the City's Audit Committee and external auditors on testing and next steps, and documented compliance and audit-related procedures as part of the SOP set.
Results Achieved
Outcomes the City can build on. The engagement delivered continuity during the transition and left the Finance Department with resources it can continue to use.
Continuous Financial Leadership
Daily operations, approvals, and escalations were covered throughout the transition period.
FY2027 Budget Adopted On Schedule
The full operating and capital budget moved from build to Council adoption on the statutory calendar.
Documented Processes the City Owns
A categorized set of SOP documents the City can use for onboarding, cross-training, and reference going forward.
Prior-Year Audit Completed
The team helped the City close out a delayed prior-year audit and complete the ACFR, which cleared the way to move the FY2027 budget forward.
A Consistent Operating Rhythm
A steady meeting cadence and clear ownership across AP, Billing, and Accounting that the team can maintain going forward.
A Smooth Handoff
A documented operating model and transition plan to support incoming permanent leadership.
Reflections
Perspectives from the City and Harbor View.
"Navigating a senior finance office leadership transition in the middle of budget season is one of the toughest challenges a city can face. Harbor View Consulting provided the City of Annapolis with a steady, experienced team to keep operations running seamlessly. Experienced and professional finance personnel came in, delivered the Fiscal Year 2027 budget on schedule, and closed out our municipal audit as if they'd been doing it all along. As a new mayor, I couldn't have asked for a better partnership for my first budget."
Jared Littmann
Mayor of Annapolis
"Harbor View did more than fill a temporary vacancy or just give us advice. Their hands-on departmental leadership allowed them to deeply understand our needs. While improvement is always a journey, not a destination, Harbor View's role in creating and updating more than 100 Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) in collaboration with our staff left our Finance Department a vital foundation for long-term success."
Victoria Buckland
Deputy City Manager for Administration, City of Annapolis
"This engagement reflects what Harbor View does best. We step in during a moment of change and serve as a trusted partner. By pairing hands-on operational leadership with disciplined process documentation, we kept the City's finances moving and left the department stronger and more self-sufficient than we found it."
Partner, Harbor View Consulting. Served as Acting Finance Director for City of Annapolis.
Navigating a finance leadership transition?
Harbor View Consulting helps organizations maintain financial operations and document them for the long term during periods of change. Let's talk about continuity for your organization.