By Howard Packowitz

BLOOMINGTON – The McLean County Board is authorizing Administrator Camille Rodriguez to find an outside accountant to look at the government’s bookkeeping practices, but members don’t want taxpayers to foot the bill.

The board unanimously approved the administrator’s request for an independent review. However, they also adopted member Josh Barnett’s amendment requiring Rodriguez look for an accounting expert, perhaps through the Illinois Association of County Administrators, who won’t bill the county.

Barnett said it’s time for the county to move forward from a heated dispute between Auditor Michelle Anderson and Treasurer Rebecca McNeil.

“We were all very concerned about some of the processes that the auditor put into place in September that caused absolute havoc within the county’s finances, especially the fact that those processes were put into place, and that no one was consulted about those, and no communication was sent down to department heads and various elected officials,” said Barnett.

“That’s a big deal when we’re talking about messing with people’s paychecks, their livelihood, not to mention falling behind in some of our bills,” Barnett also said.

The county accumulated late fees from delinquent bill payments, and last month, Rodriguez had to sign off on payroll so hundreds of government employees could be paid on time.

County leaders will develop written policies for booking revenue and expenses, however the auditor contends state law requires that she draw up those policies.

Howard Packowitz can be reached at [email protected]