League Program Empowers Towns with Stronger Financial Management

Managing the finances of a municipality is no small task, yet finance officers are often left with limited support and systems that were not designed with local governments in mind. Recognizing the need for stronger, more consistent financial support, the League sought a way to walk alongside towns to help strengthen operations and build a solid fiscal foundation.

In 2021, the League worked closely with the North Carolina General Assembly to identify ways the state's American Rescue Plan funding could provide transformative support to cities and towns across the state. Following conversations with members around the state, the League launched its Municipal Accounting Services (MAS) program the following year. The MAS program was designed to promote better financial accountability and reliability for smaller governments.

As part of the MAS program, towns transition from their existing accounting software to a platform built specifically for small-town governments. Beyond the software itself, towns receive ongoing guidance from a dedicated MAS mentor and software customer service representatives, ensuring municipal finance staff have access to best practices and reliable support throughout the process.

Caswell Beach: A Conversion Tested by Transition
Caswell Beach was one of the first towns to join the software conversion program when it launched. The seaside town is home to about 400 residents on the east end of Oak Island, a number that quadruples during the summer months. The town’s goal was simple—improve its financial oversight.

Patrick McGowan joined Caswell Beach as town clerk in August 2022, and the following summer the town began its software conversion to Black Mountain Software. A few weeks into the process, the finance officer left, and McGowan stepped into the role on an interim basis despite not having previous accounting experience.

“I had no financial background whatsoever, but I came in with the will to learn and to do the best job I could,” McGowan said.

“Being able to pick up the phone and call [the League’s MAS mentor] Cindy Graham every single day … gave me an understanding of what I was doing and made sure it was right and was a best practice for the town,” McGowan said.

Later, when the town hired Katie Atkins as its full-time finance officer, she brought accounting experience and prior familiarity with the accounting software, but the support from MAS added to her confidence.

“It was exciting knowing that I had worked with software, but I have never had the resource of the League before,” Atkins said. “It has been an invaluable tool to have a mentor.”

Today, the software has streamlined Caswell Beach’s financial processes, improved access to reporting, and strengthened the town’s audit procedures.

Pikeville: Simplifying Financial Systems
Pikeville was the first town to complete the MAS software transition, finishing in fall 2023. Prior to conversion, the town relied on multiple platforms and outsourced much of its financial operations, which created challenges with efficiency and oversight.

“With this new software, everything’s on one system,” said Wendy Holland, Pikeville’s town clerk and finance officer. “We’ve brought everything back in house rather than outsourcing it, which has made it much more efficient. ... Everything’s automated, so there’s less chance of human error.”

Holland said the transition has helped streamline day-to-day operations while giving staff access to reports and financial information that were not previously available. She also credits the League’s training and hands-on support for helping Pikeville navigate the change and build a stronger financial foundation for the future.

“The software has been very valuable, but without the League’s help, we would have had some very difficult times,” Holland said. “They’ve been there to help us and support us, and to me, that’s just as important as the software.”

Strengthening the Network
Building on the progress towns were already making through the
MAS software conversion program, the League hosted its inaugural accounting software user conference last year where 73 participants from 38 towns gathered in Greensboro. The event was designed not only to provide additional training on the software, but also to bring towns together and create a network of support among peers who had gone through—or were preparing for—the same transition.

“We wanted to host the conference to give the towns that use [the software] an opportunity to get together, network and learn from each other,” Diane Seaford, deputy director for MAS, said.

“All of us collaborating and having an opportunity to bounce ideas off each other … it put some more spark in me that I can do this,” said Lynne Conner, town clerk and finance officer for the Town of Aulander.

Moving Forward
Building on the progress made so far, the League’s MAS team will continue working with small towns across North Carolina throughout the coming year. At the end of 2025, the program has converted 34 towns to the new accounting software, with another 13 on the wait list to be transitioned in 2026. Through continued software conversions, training, and one-on-one mentorship, the program is helping towns strengthen financial practices and improve long-term stability.