Ohio village saves 70 percent of audit costs

The village of Lower Salem in Washington County saved 70 percent of its traditional audit costs in its first “basic audit,” a new procedure introduced last year by Auditor of State Dave Yost.

“A clean operation spending $40,000 to $50,000 in a year doesn’t need to spend $2,000 on an audit,” Auditor Yost said.

“Basic audits provide accountability while allowing more resources to go toward providing the services village residents deserve.”

The village qualified for the basic audit based on having annual disbursements of $100,000 or less and having no disqualifying audit concerns as defined by Auditor of State bulletins. The 2011-2012 audit released today cost only $615, compared to the prior 2009-2010 audit cost of $2,023—a savings of 70 percent.

The option for a basic audit, an on-site limited review, was introduced by Auditor Yost in September 2012.

The following public offices could be eligible: villages, townships, libraries, parks and recreation districts, water and sewer districts, county boards of health, conservancy districts, solid waste districts, regional planning commissions, fire and ambulance districts, cemeteries, agricultural societies and Family & Children First councils, and others case by case.