OSA Weekly Update - 7/17/2026
1. Message from Auditor Blaha
2. Meeting: Fire Relief Association Working Group
3. Avoiding Pitfall: Recording Closed Meetings
4. Deadlines
1. Message from Auditor Blaha
The redesigned website enhances accessibility and improves the user experience by making it easier for cities, counties, towns, special districts, fire relief associations, development authorities, CPA firms, and the public to find the information they need.
The new website is now live and available on the OSA website.
2. Meeting: Fire Relief Association Working Group
The first meeting of this year’s Fire Relief Association Working Group is scheduled for Thursday, August 6 from 1 – 2:30 pm, with options to attend in person at our office in Saint Paul or remotely via Teams. Meetings also will be livestreamed with recordings and meeting materials available on the Fire Relief Association Working Group page of the OSA website.
3. Avoiding Pitfall: Recording Closed Meetings
Local government officials should be aware that Minnesota’s Open Meeting Law requires most closed meetings to be electronically recorded. The law states “[a]ll closed meetings, except those closed as permitted by the attorney-client privilege, must be electronically recorded at the expense of the public body. Unless otherwise provided by law, the recordings must be preserved for at least three years after the date of the meeting.” For more information, see Minn. Stat. § 13D.05, subd. 1(d).
If you have questions about the Open Meeting Law or other information policy laws, please visit the website of Data Practices Office of the Minnesota Department of Administration.
The full avoiding pitfall is available on the OSA website.
4. Job Openings
Local Government Auditor, Senior (Moorhead)
The OSA is hiring a Local Government Auditor, Senior position based in the Moorhead office. This Senior level auditor position is responsible for assisting in the audits of local governments by ensuring that appropriate procedures are performed that are necessary to determine the reliability of clients’ financial statements and compliance with legal and regulatory requirements.
Start dates of approximately July 27, 2026, or after.
The job posting will close on July 23, 2026.
Data Engineer (St. Paul)
The OSA is hiring a Data Engineer position based in the St. Paul office. This position will serve as the primary data engineer, responsible for planning, designing, developing, and managing modern data solutions and applications, including reporting, business intelligence systems, data warehousing, and data infrastructure.
The job posting will close on July 28, 2026.
Local Government Auditor Director (Duluth)
The OSA is hiring a Local Government Auditor Director position based in the Duluth office. This position is responsible for coordinating and directing the audits of local governments to ensure that appropriate procedures are performed and documented that are necessary to determine the reliability of clients’ financial statements and compliance with legal and regulatory requirements.
Start date of approximately September 14, 2026, or after.
The job posting will close on July 30, 2026.
Local Government Auditor Director (St. Paul)
The OSA is hiring a Local Government Auditor Director position based in the St. Paul office. This position is responsible for coordinating and directing the audits of local governments to ensure that appropriate procedures are performed and documented that are necessary to determine the reliability of clients’ financial statements and compliance with legal and regulatory requirements.
Start date of approximately September 14, 2026, or after.
The job posting will close on July 30, 2026.
Standards and Procedures - Staff Specialist Senior
The OSA is hiring a Standards and Procedures - Staff Specialist Senior position based in the St. Paul office. This position is responsible for assisting the OSA quality control program to ensure the OSA’s compliance with established accounting and auditing standards, procedures, and regulations.
The job posting will close on July 30, 2026.
Local Government IT Audit Specialist (St. Paul)
The OSA is hiring a Local Government IT Audit Specialist (St. Paul) position based in St. Paul office. This Local Government IT Audit Specialist position assists in leading the information technology (IT) audits of local governments (including the largest, most complex, and specialized) by ensuring that appropriate procedures are performed that are necessary to determine the reliability of clients’ information systems, platforms, operating procedures, IT security and data protection.
Start date of September 8, 2026, or after.
The job posting will close on August 5, 2026.
5. Deadlines
TIF: Annual Reporting Forms Due August 3, 2026
Authorities must submit 2025 TIF Annual Reporting Forms to the OSA using the State Auditor Form Entry System (SAFES) or before August 3, 2026. Instructions, sample forms, and videos on how to fill out and submit TIF reporting forms are available on the OSA Website.