By Howard Packowitz
BLOOMINGTON – The McLean County State’s Attorney’s office weighed in Wednesday on the controversy about the county government’s bookkeeping methods.
Assistant State’s Attorney Trevor Sierra submitted a legal opinion to the County Board’s Finance Committee, saying it’s the board, not the auditor, who determines the county’s accounting system, as long as it is based on Governmental Accounting Standards Board guidelines.
Sierra, who works in the state’s attorney’s civil division, noted there’s no case law on the exact issue, so his opinion previews arguments his office would make on its interpretation of existing state law if elected County Auditor Michelle Anderson sues the county.
Earlier this fall, Treasurer Rebecca McNeil, the county’s other elected fiscal officer, complained Anderson unilaterally altered bookkeeping methods.
The county board asked Anderson to go back to the old way of booking revenue and expenses, but in October, the auditor said she is McLean County’s general accountant and has the power to devise a system of financial records.
The dispute caused bill payment delays to vendors, who are charging late fees to the government. The disagreement also led to the county administrator taking the unusual step in September of personally signing off on payroll so hundreds of government employees could be paid on time.
The situation also put the usually low-profile auditor’s office in the spotlight. Anderson is facing a Republican primary challenge for re-election from Trisha Malott. Democrat Robert Fazzini and Libertarian Kevin Woodard are also running for the job.
Howard Packowitz can be reached at [email protected]
