City Receives Auditor of State Award with Distinction

A recent financial audit of the City of Westerville by Auditor of State Dave Yost’s office has returned a clean audit report. The City of Westerville’s excellent record-keeping has earned it the Auditor of State Award with Distinction.

“Good finance is important to everything government does. We can’t expect good decisions and good management by the executives or sound budgetary decisions by Council unless the books are clean and accurate,” said Yost. “It is with great pleasure that I present the city with the Auditor of State Award with Distinction.”

The Auditor of State Award with Distinction is presented to local governments and school districts upon the completion of a financial audit.

In a presentation to Westerville City Council on Sept. 18, Brian Mead, Director of Regional Liaisons with the Auditor of State’s office, said, “Taxpayers expect this kind of accountability. Clean and accurate records save money. Accurate record-keeping is clearly a priority for the City of Westerville.”

Mead also noted that across the state of Ohio, fewer than 25 cities received this award.

The City of Westerville met these award criteria:

• Timely financial reports filed with the Auditor of State’s office in the form of a CAFR (Comprehensive Annual Financial Report);

• The audit report contains no findings for recovery, material citations, material weaknesses, significant deficiencies, Single Audit findings or questioned costs;

• The City’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, public meetings or public records.

The Auditor of State’s office, one of the independently elected statewide offices in Ohio, is responsible for auditing more than 5,600 state and local government agencies. Under the direction of Auditor Dave Yost, the office also provides financial services to local governments, investigates and prevents fraud in public agencies, and promotes transparency in government.

Introducing Improved Service Request

Pass a pothole or see a flickering street light? Now there is a new, improved way to “Tell Westerville.” In an effort to improve the reporting and tracking method for residents to report and request service, the City has launched a new portal accessible at www.westerville.org

Just click on the “Service Request” button on the right bottom side of the home page and you’ll be directed in a step-by-step approach to report an issue or ask a question. The system incorporates an interactive mapping feature for users to easily and precisely pinpoint the location. After submitting a report, the user can track its progress and will be notified via email when it is resolved. Check it out online and tell us what you think!