TIPP CITY — The city of Tipp City and the city’s Finance Department were honored with the Auditor of State Award with Distinction from the Auditor of State’s office at Monday’s council meeting.
The award was presented by Joe Braden, west regional liaison with the Auditor of State’s office. According to Braden, the Auditor of State’s office audits nearly 6,000 entities every year, and roughly 4% of those entities are eligible for the Auditor of State Award with Distinction. The award is presented to local governments and school districts that have completed a clean audit.
“It is my honor to be here tonight on behalf of Auditor of State Keith Faber to present to you the Auditor of State Award with Distinction. This award puts Tipp City in a very select group,” Braden said. “This award represents the hard work of all of your employees here in Tipp City that make an effort each day to obtain accounting excellence.”
The award is presented to local governments and school districts that have completed a clean audit of the following criteria:
• The entity must file financial reports with the Auditor of State’s office by the statutory due date, without extension, via the Hinkle System, on a GAAP accounting basis and prepare a CAFR (Comprehensive Annual Financial Report);
• The audit report does not contain any findings for recovery, material citations, material weaknesses, significant deficiencies, Uniform Guidance (Single Audit) findings or questioned costs;
• The entity’s management letter contains no comments related to: ethics referrals; questioned costs less than the threshold per the uniform guidance; lack of timely annual financial report submission; bank reconciliation issues; failure to obtain a timely single audit in accordance with uniform guidance; findings for recovery less than $500; and public meetings or public records issues; and
• The entity has no other financial or other concerns.
“I want to recognize all council members for what you have done, Mayor (Joseph) Gibson, City Manager (Tim) Eggleston, and all of you that have done a fantastic job of watching over every dollar here in the city of Tipp City. I would like to specifically recognize John (Green) and the mayor for your commitment to fiscal integrity,” Braden said.
The award was accepted by city Finance Director John Green, who has worked with the city since June 2010. Prior to his employment with Tipp City, Green served as the assistant director of finance for the city of Marysville for approximately 10 years and as a field auditor with the Office of the Auditor of State of Ohio for six years prior to that.
“I want to congratulate Mr. Green and staff for the auditor’s office recognition. It’s a recognition of the quality of the folks that we have working with us. To (Green’s) credit, he endures withering criticism, blistering questions, and gives us the information we need. We appreciate all that he does,” Gibson said.
Green emphasized that he doesn’t view it as an individual award, but as something that represents the hard work of everyone working for the finance department.
“I believe it represents the ongoing professionalism and experience of all of the members of the Tipp City team working together to best serve the community and to see that the funds we are entrusted with are managed appropriately. Part of that management process is the fair and accurate reporting of the City’s financial status,” Green said.
