Gavin Cooley, whose tenure as the city’s first chief financial officer will come to a close when he retires in coming months, deserves accolades for his role in helping five mayoral administrations and an evolving City Council lead the city to financial stability.

Cooley, who has Spokane roots, having graduated from Gonzaga Prep and Eastern Washington University, was brought on in 2003 to fill what was then the city’s new CFO position. Although he came in with a professional background with large accounting firms here, he’s much more than the city’s bean counter.

Over the last 16 years, he has filled a leadership role in financial monitoring, budgeting, and debt management for the city.

While it’s the role of elected officials to shape policy, Cooley’s role is to provide accurate fiscal information to those who make and implement policy. Having said that, it’s easy to see Cooley’s influence on the city’s long-term financial health.

As Cooley has served multiple city administrations, financial programs and systems implemented during his tenure have transcended the politics of the day, as he consistently has provided sound fiscal advice to city officials and the public. Cooley’s longevity in the city’s CFO position also demonstrates his ability to influence and collaborate with a number of personalities of leaders with varying objectives.

During this current period of sustained economic recovery, Cooley’s expertise has helped city leaders improve the city’s credit rating to AA, or high-grade investment status, according to the Standard & Poor’s index. When Cooley first came on, the city’s S&P credit rating was BBB, which is considered lower-medium grade, or barely investment grade.

For taxpayers, the improved credit rating means significant savings for the city when it comes to financing debt, such as the current highly visible, bond-funded improvements at Riverfront Park downtown.

In budgets prepared under Cooley’s tenure, city expenditures have nearly doubled, reaching $500 million last year, with less than a 2% increase in city staff, which Cooley boasts is an indicator that the city has increased productivity significantly while barely increasing the number of employees.

As Spokane real estate broker and developer Dave Black tells the Journal, it’s hard to find people in the public sector who have the skills that Cooley possesses. “He’s been able to help the city get more dollars in to do more things in ways that don’t have an adverse effect on taxpayers,” Black says.

Indeed Cooley, now 61 years old, who originally intended to serve as the city’s CFO for a couple of years, has stayed on as a champion of Spokane for a good portion of his entire professional career.

Now, as Cooley looks to retire during roughly the same period of time that the next mayor and new city council president will take office in just a few months, current Mayor David Condon has said it will be up to the new administration to choose Cooley’s successor.

We can only hope Cooley’ performance serves as a model for whomever the next city administration selects to succeed him.