Overview

Vision Statement:  The Administrative Services Department is one of the significant ties that bind City departments and activities.  Key measures of the department’s effectiveness are how well the assets accounted for by ASD are protected and used throughout the City and the feedback received from recipients of the department’s output.

Mission Statement:  To provide optimum service to external and internal customers through the effective allocation of Administrative Services Department resources based upon responsibilities, priorities and need.

The Administrative Services Department (ASD) is a key support department primarily located in the Central Services and Insurance Services fund budgets and providing services directly to the public and to all other departments and funds within the City of Ashland including Ashland Parks and Recreation Commission (APRC).  Like no other department, ASD serves and interacts with every fund and department, often down to the employee level, with services like budgeting, financial reporting, payroll and benefit payment processing and accounting for services provided.  All departments benefit from ASD’s many other activities including purchasing of goods and services, accounts payable processing and internal service cost tracking and allocation; enterprise funds also benefit from utility billing and collection activities; governmental type funds are supported through tax collection and general license and fee processing; and APRC benefits from ASD performing accounting and financial reporting functions for the Commission.

The department plays the lead role in the annual budget process.  Coordinating information from the other departments, public meetings, deliberations, economic and social grant allocations, distribution of information and the final budget document for legal compliance are some of the major activities for this process.  At the end of the budget year, ASD coordinates the annual municipal audits required by the State of Oregon for the City and Parks Commission.  This department prepares the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report for the City and APRC, the City’s component unit.  This department is the primary party responsible for the budget and both annual reports, all recognized for many years with national awards for superior work.