State audit reveals real concerns
By
-
To the editor:
A recent article (Dec. 8, 2011) stating that Highland County "mostly complied on latest state audit report” addresses the recent audit conducted by the state auditor’s office with kid gloves and attempts to minimize some very concerning problems.
The particular publication's (not The Highland County Press) “investigation” into this issue seems to have followed the same direction as the recent child abuse case at Miami Trace where the superintendent asked the accused teacher if she was guilty and on her claim of innocence, the administration took their stand.
Local readers and taxpayers require more from the local media than just asking the auditor and one of the commissioners to account for the findings and then taking their responses as a full and complete explanation.
It seems that if one wanted good, solid answers about the audit findings, one would have gone to greater lengths than just asking the auditor and the commissioners, especially a commissioner who is up for re-election, to answer for the findings.
Did you expect them to say “Well, what the main audit didn’t show is that at least 3 percent of our payroll transactions were signed off by the employee being paid and our commissioners can’t seem to document their actions through meeting minutes or make them available to the public when requested?” (Reference Management Letter from Ohio Auditor David Yost.)
I am similarly surprised that no one within the county administration pointed out that “30 percent of the purchases tested were initiated without obtaining the prior
certification of the county auditor and were not subsequently approved by the county commissioners within the aforementioned 30-day time period.” (Reference Highland County Single Audit Page 77.)
My suggestion to the concerned citizens, voters, and taxpayers of Highland County would be to do some investigation on your own. The audit is a 91-page document which reveals much more than I care to disclose here and is available on the Ohio State Auditor’s website or by going to http://www.highlandcountypress.com/main.asp?Search=1&ArticleID=10601&SectionID=2&SubSectionID=20&S=1
The management letter, the letter presented to the county administration by the state auditors upon completion of the audit, is also a public record, but you must call the state auditor’s office and request it specifically. The management letter is a 10-page document which covers some more detailed problems than the published audit touches upon and again, goes into to depths that I do not have space or time to discuss here.
It is time that the people of this county begin asking tough questions of their elected servants and demanding real answers. We have grown accustomed to our “leaders” blaming the economy or low tax revenues for their inability to comply with the requirements. What is being missed is that these rules have been put in place to protect the taxpayer from having their tax dollars mismanaged.
This audit has exposed weaknesses within the processes and procedures of the Highland County government which could expose our tax dollars to being misspent, at best. This audit has revealed major problems with our county’s ability to manage the basic functions of government.
I urge each and every concerned resident of Highland County to get involved, ask the tough questions, and don’t take the token answers that you get as the whole truth. It is our county, our money, and our future on the line, and it is our responsibility to hold those we elect accountable to do their jobs correctly.
Sincerely,
Fred Bogess
New Vienna[[In-content Ad]]
A recent article (Dec. 8, 2011) stating that Highland County "mostly complied on latest state audit report” addresses the recent audit conducted by the state auditor’s office with kid gloves and attempts to minimize some very concerning problems.
The particular publication's (not The Highland County Press) “investigation” into this issue seems to have followed the same direction as the recent child abuse case at Miami Trace where the superintendent asked the accused teacher if she was guilty and on her claim of innocence, the administration took their stand.
Local readers and taxpayers require more from the local media than just asking the auditor and one of the commissioners to account for the findings and then taking their responses as a full and complete explanation.
It seems that if one wanted good, solid answers about the audit findings, one would have gone to greater lengths than just asking the auditor and the commissioners, especially a commissioner who is up for re-election, to answer for the findings.
Did you expect them to say “Well, what the main audit didn’t show is that at least 3 percent of our payroll transactions were signed off by the employee being paid and our commissioners can’t seem to document their actions through meeting minutes or make them available to the public when requested?” (Reference Management Letter from Ohio Auditor David Yost.)
I am similarly surprised that no one within the county administration pointed out that “30 percent of the purchases tested were initiated without obtaining the prior
certification of the county auditor and were not subsequently approved by the county commissioners within the aforementioned 30-day time period.” (Reference Highland County Single Audit Page 77.)
My suggestion to the concerned citizens, voters, and taxpayers of Highland County would be to do some investigation on your own. The audit is a 91-page document which reveals much more than I care to disclose here and is available on the Ohio State Auditor’s website or by going to http://www.highlandcountypress.com/main.asp?Search=1&ArticleID=10601&SectionID=2&SubSectionID=20&S=1
The management letter, the letter presented to the county administration by the state auditors upon completion of the audit, is also a public record, but you must call the state auditor’s office and request it specifically. The management letter is a 10-page document which covers some more detailed problems than the published audit touches upon and again, goes into to depths that I do not have space or time to discuss here.
It is time that the people of this county begin asking tough questions of their elected servants and demanding real answers. We have grown accustomed to our “leaders” blaming the economy or low tax revenues for their inability to comply with the requirements. What is being missed is that these rules have been put in place to protect the taxpayer from having their tax dollars mismanaged.
This audit has exposed weaknesses within the processes and procedures of the Highland County government which could expose our tax dollars to being misspent, at best. This audit has revealed major problems with our county’s ability to manage the basic functions of government.
I urge each and every concerned resident of Highland County to get involved, ask the tough questions, and don’t take the token answers that you get as the whole truth. It is our county, our money, and our future on the line, and it is our responsibility to hold those we elect accountable to do their jobs correctly.
Sincerely,
Fred Bogess
New Vienna[[In-content Ad]]