Finance Department will handle duties of county accounting
Will County Auditor Duffy Blackburn said his department will begin fiscal year 2010 with some changes.
"We've begun preparation to move the day-to-day accounting duties from the auditor's office into the Finance Department beginning Dec, 1." Blackburn said. "Due to the rapid growth in the county, this move will help the two departments become more effective."
Management of the accounting, budget and fixed assets of the county will also now fall under the finance department leaving the auditor's office to focus on the statutory duties. Blackburn, who is in his first year of his four-year term, said it is not the duty of the auditor's office to be involved in the bookkeeping while at the same time auditing its own books.
"This restructuring will be advantageous to our office in making it more independent, and ultimately making the county more accountable and transparent," he said. "We will still work closely with the Finance Department to make specific recommendations."
Historically, the Will County auditor has acted as a general accounting department. With the continued growth in the county, this move has become even more timely. This restructuring will align Will County with other counties of similar size across the country. Blackburn said he has a good working relationship with Finance Director Paul Rafac and this move will make that cooperation even stronger.
In addition, Blackburn enumerated his schedule and list of changes that will yield a more cost-effective office, including eliminating the auditor's vehicle and related maintenance costs at the beginning of 2009, simplifying and automating financial reports this past spring and the elimination of paid interns and contractual employees this past summer.
The planned schedule going forward includes the preparation and cross-training of employees in the months of October and November and by Dec. 1 to reach an overall staff reduction of 60 percent, half of which will be transitioned to the expanded Finance Department.
"The silver lining to every economic downturn is the overall reduction of the size of government at all levels," Kusta said. "My hat is off to County Executive (Larry) Walsh and the county board, through the leadership of Chairman Jim Moustis, as well as Auditor Blackburn and all other elected officials and department heads for rising to the challenge and making the reductions necessary to keep the county financially healthy."
Added Blackburn, "The timing is really perfect. We have a new auditor, a new finance committee chairman, and we are entering a new fiscal year."
