The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Treasurer collects kudos from auditor
Elyria Schools treasurer received the highest honor bestowed after a state audit.
The Office of Ohio Auditor of State Dave Yost has awarded the Elyria City School District a top award for its outstanding performance in financial reporting, according to a news release.
The “Ohio Auditor of State Award with Distinction” was presented to Elyria Schools Treasurer Joy Clickenger Feb. 21 at the Elyria School Board meeting at the administrative offices at 42101 Griswold Road in Elyria.
Clickenger has served as Elyria Schools treasurer since 2016.
“This is a real feather in your cap,” Lyndsay Kuhn, north-central region representative for the auditor’s office, told Clickenger and Elyria School Board members at the meeting.
“You all work together in concert and we certainly appreciate the fact that you are such excellent stewards of taxpayer dollars,” said Kuhn.“This is the top accomplishment that you can receive from our office.”
Yost and his team audit about 5,900 government entities across the state, but few qualify to receive an award, let alone a distinction award, Kuhn said.
“What you are receiving is the distinction award, which is what my boss likes to say is the ‘gold standard’ out of reporting,” Kuhn said.
Clickenger said the Elyria Schools has typically received an “excellence in reporting” award, but this new recognition is an indication of the collaborative effort among employees in her department.
“This particular award is based on everybody pulling together and getting everyone to do everything the way you need it done,” Clickenger said. “We don’t necessarily make friends every day, but we do keep our thumbs on as much as we can and that’s what made this possible.”
Kuhn said the Auditor’s Office does not follow a “gotcha” mind-set when auditing data from public entities. However, she said they do want to make sure that all the numbers reconcile.
“There’s just so much more involved in having a clean audit,” she said.
Much like public education, the public finance world changes from day to day and those versed in its rules and regulations must keep close pace.
“This is truly an accomplishment,” Kuhn told the School Board. “You have an excellent finance team and, of course, your treasurer, they are experts in their field and they are working every day to be excellent stewards of taxpayer dollars—and that’s really what it comes down to.”