By Anna DeWine
XENIA — For the second year in a row, Greene County has not only received a “clean” audit report, but has also qualified for the Auditor of State Award with Distinction.
Upon completion of a financial audit by Auditor of State Dave Yost’s office, the award is presented to local governments and school districts.
“Taxpayers expect accurate financial records from their local governments,” Yost said. “Greene County’s dedication to accountability is evident.”
Greene County Auditor David Graham, too, believed the high recognition was deserved across the county.
“It’s a team thing,” Graham said. “I’m very proud of our staff and the staff in our county. Without elected officials and managers and other departments doing their jobs, the award would never be possible.”
The 178-page document of financial information and county data is available to the public. However, the county auditor’s office does prepare a less-comprehensive but more easily digestible Popular Annual Financial Report, which, according to Graham, will be released soon.
According to a press release from Yost’s office, entities that receive the award meet the following criteria of a “clean” audit report:
• The entity must file timely financial reports with the Auditor of State’s office in the form of a CAFR (Comprehensive Annual Financial Report);
• The audit report does not contain any findings for recovery, material citations, material weaknesses, significant deficiencies, Single Audit findings or questioned costs;
• The entity’s management letter contains no comments related to: Ethics referrals, questioned costs less than $10,000, lack of timely report submission, reconciliation, failure to obtain a timely Single Audit, findings for recovery less than $100 and public meetings or public records.
• No other financial or other concerns exist that involve eligible entity.
“[The award] is not because of one person, one office or one department; it’s the county as a whole,” Graham said.
