Commissioners to begin reviewing fiscal policies of county-related agencies
The Washington County commissioners announced late Wednesday afternoon they have asked for a review of county-related agencies’ fiscal and financial policies.
The commissioners have tapped Controller Michael Namie and the county finance department to perform the task.
The organizations to be examined are the Washington County Conservation District; the Washington Drug and Alcohol Commission Inc.; Washington County Tourism Promotion Agency; Washington County Transportation Authority; Washington County Redevelopment Authority; Washington County Authority; and Washington Greene County Job Training Agency.
Although the redevelopment authority and Washington County Authority have similar names, they are two separate entities.
The redevelopment authority administers the Local Share Account of casino gambling proceeds and many federal programs. And while the county authority has overseen the development of Southpointe II, it also owns Courthouse Square and its parking garage, administers a county loan pool, and may helm the future development of the proposed Cool Valley along Morganza Road, Cecil Township.
Namie is an independently elected official, and commissioner-appointee Joshua Hatfield is in charge of the two-person finance department, which prepares the county’s annual budget, among a myriad of other tasks.
Commission Chairman Diana Irey Vaughan called the review “nonpartisan,” with herself and Commissioner Nick Sherman as Republican elected officials while Maggi and Namie are both elected Democrats.
“With many of these organizations administering programs on behalf of the county, it is the board’s desire to ensure taxpayer dollars are being spent on appropriate expenses,” Irey Vaughan said.
She also wants to see if administrative costs and general expenses are uniform and if best practices are being implemented.
“I look forward to obtaining and sharing the results of our reviews with the taxpayers,” said commission Vice Chairman Maggi.
Although each agency is independently audited, the commissioners want there to be followup discussions during which the county will offer suggestions to improve and strengthen each organization’s financial policies and add transparency for the public through any new policies.
“I believe this process we will leave us with stronger, more viable organizations and programs that will deliver better services and be in a healthier financial position to lead Washington County into the future,” Sherman said.
The commissioners “started looking last year at some expenses that were not disallowed, but did not conform with county policy,” Irey Vaughan said, such as regular group lunches for employees not related to travel.
She wants to see the review done annually to make sure the agencies continue to conform with county policies.
“In my 25-year tenure, the county has never looked at this information,” Irey Vaughan said.