Debbie Stevens

Four years ago, I campaigned on these four commitments to the residents of Warrick County:

• Improve Efficiency and Effectiveness of the Auditor’s Office
• Eliminate Wasteful Spending in county government
• Bring Innovation and Improvement to the Office
• Improve Communication, Collaboration and Cooperation between county offices

We, my staff and I, have delivered on all four commitments.

1. Improve efficiency and effectiveness of the office:

Compared to the previous administration:

• Our operating budget is 8% less
• Our staff is smaller
• Deed Transfers have increased 62%
• Claims (bills paid) have increased by 20%
• General Ledger Receipts are up 23%

We are doing more work with less staff and a smaller budget compared to the previous administration. All of this makes the current Auditor’s Office the most Efficient and Effective Auditor’s office when compared to the past administrations.

2. Eliminate Wasteful Spending

• We have put the “audit” back into Warrick County Accounts Payable processes. By implementing internal controls and applying Uniform Accounting Guidelines established by Indiana State Board of Accounts, we have first ensured that every tax dollar disbursed in Warrick County has met the State Board of Accounts minimum criteria for certification to the Commissioners. By referencing terms and conditions of our contracts, we have eliminated billing overcharges by vendors
• We have avoided duplicate bill payment to vendors by utilizing our system to create unique invoices for each bill payment
• Through collaboration with our Commissioners, we now have policy that prohibits payment of interest and late fees on credit cards and contractual services by our taxpayers. If incurred, these charges are now the personal responsibility of the department heads not the taxpayers.
• All of these changes have resulted in over $250,000 from 2019, when we began tracking, through 2021.

3. Bring Innovation and Improvement to the Office:

• We improved the payment timeline to vendors. Transitioned from a once a month payment to bi-monthly vendor payments.
• Prior administrations’ withheld invoices each year from November through January for payment at the end of January.
• We pay valid, certifiable claims all year round and in a timely manner.
• Warrick County Transfer Records have been scanned for electronic searches. This project was started in 2017 and finished in 2019. Our transfer records were available for viewing 24/7 to the residents and businesses of Warrick County before the pandemic hit. This initiative is leading the way for a paperless Auditor’s office.
• In 2018, we transitioned to a secure and reliable financial, payroll and tax software to replace failing and unreliable systems.

4. Improve communication, collaboration and cooperation between county government offices.

• It is critical that Auditor and Treasurer have open communication and work together to achieve accounting objectives for the county.
• I, along with the past and current Treasurer have strengthened the segregation of duties between Auditor, Accounts Payable and Treasurer, Accounts Receivable.
• Our office works closely with the Recorder as part of property transfers and with the Assessor and her staff to achieve the goals for property transfers and balancing property assessments for the purpose of calculating property taxes. The Auditor’s office cooperative and respectful of the statutory duties of the offices of Assessor, Treasurer and Recorder.

We, my staff and I, have delivered on the commitments made to the residents of Warrick County.

• At Mead Johnson & Company I met and exceeded expectations for budget and sales goals and earned the highest sales award, Accent on Excellence.
• I received the Thomson Reuters Aumentum 2014 Public Sector Champion Award for my accomplishments as First Deputy in the Treasurer’s office. I was one of three national winners in category of “Excellence in Constituent Service” award.
• I was chosen by my peers to receive the 2017 Warrick County Republican Lincoln Award.
• In 2014, I received the endorsement of then, Auditor of State, Suzanne Crouch to serve as Warrick County Auditor.
• I currently serve as President-Elect of the Indiana Counties Auditors’ Association (ICAA) and have served in the past offices of Vice-President, Treasurer and Secretary. I currently serve on the Legislative Committee for the ICAA.

I ask for your vote to serve as Warrick County Commissioner and I ask God to continue blessing and prospering the people of Warrick County.