Monday, October 16, 2017


Welcome, Indiana County Auditors!

Our fall, 2017 conference was held Oct. 17-20 in Indianapolis, bringing together county auditors from throughout Indiana for four days of education and training. Agenda topics included internal controls, tax deductions, the SBOA chart of accounts, settlement, pension and other payroll matters. The conference culminated with the Indiana Auditor's Association meeting and election of officers for 2018. You may view the meeting minutes and Treasurer's report under the "Association Business" tab. For the full conference agenda, click here: Fall, 2017 Agenda.

Some highlights from the conference are posted below.

Friday, Oct. 20, 2017

SBOA Director of County Services Shannon Lopez and Lori Rogers led the Friday Q & A with county auditors.
Legislative Committee Chair Dan Bastin of Morgan County addresses the Auditor Association's legislative priorities for the upcoming Indiana General Assembly. The initiatives include proposed changes affecting tax deeds, tax sales, TIFs, and tax deductions.


Attorney Mark Palmer, who will serve as the Association's lobbyist, outlines legislative priorities and the upcoming short session of the Indiana General Assembly.
Patty holds up a gift donated by a county auditor as Pauline announces the recipient.
2018 Association Officers (from left to right): Secretary, Jennifer Flater of Clay County; Treasurer, Vicki Urbanik of Porter County; Vice-President, Julie Fox of Marshall County; President-Elect, Patty Ball of Daviess County; President, Pauline Graff of Elkhart County.

Thursday, Oct. 19, 2017


Today's conference opened with a well-deserved recognition of Association President-Elect Pauline Graff. Vice-President Patty Ball announced that Pauline was named Auditor of the Year by the Association of Indiana Counties at the AIC conference in September. Pauline said the award was the greatest honor she has ever received.

Patty announces Pauline's award with Lori Rogers.


Pauline accepting her award at the AIC conference.




Other conference topics during the day included an overview of the state's chart of accounts, human resource issues, proper receipting processes, tax deductions, and a major upcoming change in tax abstracts.


Department of Revenue Commissioner Adam Krupp addresses changes at the DOR.




Mitch Ripley of HR Unlimited Resources addresses a variety of human resource issues.



Lori Rogers, CPA, SBOA Director of County Services, addresses the chart of accounts and home-rule funds.






Shannon Lopez, CPA, SBOA Director of County Services, outlines changes to the 17-T form and proper receipting methods.


DLGF Deputy Commissioner Matt Parkinson, CPA, speaks on tax deductions.
DLGF Budget Director Fred Van Dorp outlines how the tax abstract will now be submitted via Gateway, beginning in 2018.



Thursday's conference culminated with the evening entertainment: Wine and Canvas, at which county auditors got to showcase their artistic talents by painting a snowman. Here are some scenes from the event, beginning with photos of auditors getting ready with their blank canvases to putting on the finishing touches to their masterpieces.








Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2017

The fall, 2017 State Board of Accounts-called conference opens.

DLGF Commissioner Wesley Bennett gives introductory remarks.
State Board of Accounts State Examiners Paul Joyce, Tammy White, and Michael Bozymski

Indiana Auditor of State Tera Klutz, with Shannon Lopez and Lori Rogers, SBOA Directors of County Services











Auditor Association President-Elect Pauline Graff leads a moment of silence in memory of Caroll County Auditor Tom Gray

Auditor of State Tera Klutz addresses the statute on business personal property tax exemptions and the local service fee.
        
Courtney Everett, Deputy Auditor of Accounting & Finance at AOS, addresses settlement. (And had us do the wave!)
Kevin Marshall, Retirement Services Consultant, speaks on the role of INPRS and its benefits.


Prevention = Good Internal Controls: Mark Mahon, Director of Special Investigations with the SBOA, addresses fraud and other criminal activity and how good internal control procedures can prevent mismanagement of public assets.

Matthew Stevenson, Master Detective with the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, gives a presentation on sovereign citizens and how they are now ranked by the FBI as the number one domestic terrorist threat.
Tamytha Cooper, Reconciliation Manager with the BMV addresses the BMV's FTP site.
Tyler Michael of SBOA outlines changes in state law regarding audits and the upcoming corrective action plans.


Tuesday, Oct. 17, 2017

Registration for the fall, 2017 conference opens.

Auditor Association Officers are ready for conference.

Association Treasurer Julie Fox (seated) checks in Wells County Auditor Beth Davis and staff.

Welcome, Boone County Auditor Heather Myers and staff!


Welcome, Perry County Auditor Pam Goffinet and staff!





























Education Session: Internal Controls

Internal control is a process executed by management and staff designed to provide reasonable assurance that an entity is meeting its objectives in financial reporting, compliance, and effectiveness and efficiency of operations. Do we have effective internal controls in our counties and, in particular, in our County Auditor's offices? Are we in compliance with I.C. 5-11-1-27, Indiana's law requiring adoption of internal control policies and procedures as well as training for staff?

To help address these vital questions, the Education Committee presented a program on internal controls. The speaker was Dan Hedden, a CPA from Umbaugh, who reviewed the state statute, internal control components and principles, sample control procedures, and compliance issues.


Dan Hedden from Umbaugh speaks on internal control.

Monday, Oct. 16, 2017


The Indiana Auditor Association's officers held a pre-conference planning meeting. We also had the opportunity to meet with the new Commissioner of the Indiana Department of Local Government Finance, Wesley Bennett. Among the many topics discussed at this meeting was the very relevant topic of continuing education and training for county auditors.

From left to right: Association Vice-President Patty Ball of Daviess County, Association Secretary Vicki Urbanik of Porter County, DLGF Commissioner Wesley Bennett, Association Past-President Gayle Pennington of Dearborn County, and Association President-Elect Pauline Graff of Elkhart County.



2023 Fall Conference Highlights