BBWSD finance director appointed to state committee

Sandi McMillan, Birch Bay Water and Sewer District’s (BBWSD) finance director, is now serving on a committee that advises the state auditor’s office on accounting, budgeting and financial reporting.

“I love the community of Birch Bay. This little, tiny district is going to represent the state water and sewer districts,” McMillan said. “It’s great to bring it to Olympia.”

The Washington Association of Sewer and Water Districts board of directors unanimously approved McMillan’s three-year term to the Local Government Advisory Committee that started January 1, 2021.

The committee also gives recommendations to the state legislature and responds when lawmakers change policies affecting the budgeting, accounting and reporting system, which manages accounts for local governments.

McMillan said she looks forward to helping make local governments more efficient and information easily understandable to people.

McMillan has been BBWSD’s finance director since 2013.

“Birch Bay Water Sewer District has 14 staff and they are the most efficient, curious and hardworking people I have ever worked with in local government,” she said. “They have pushed me to want to do better and be more proficient in how I talk to citizens and stakeholders.”

Prior to her work with BBWSD, McMillan was Whatcom County Health Department’s budget and accounting supervisor and NW Workforce Development Council’s director of finance in Bellingham.

“She works diligently to promote public financing practices with industry organizations and local governing municipalities by actively participating in finance officer groups,” a news release on McMillan’s appointment said

McMillan received a certificate of excellence for debt policy in 2016 from the Washington Public Treasurer Association and serves on the Ferndale school district capital bond oversight committee.