Representatives from school districts and other taxing entities were at the Clark County Auditor’s Office on October 8, 2014 to commemorate the refund of a surplus of real estate assessment dollars.  “I am proud to work with and support those entities in need,” said Federer.  He further added that “a refund of surplus funds is the right thing to do to help move our community forward.”

Clark County Auditor, John S. Federer, announced recently that he has authorized a refund of $1,000,117.32 from the “Real Estate Assessment Fund” to the various taxing authorities within Clark County.

The REA Fund is a special restricted fund maintained on the Auditor’s books to help defray the expenses associated with appraisal of property and the related assessment of taxes.  The REA account receives its funding by deducting a small percentage of property taxes from settlements to local schools, townships, municipalities, ambulance districts, etc.

In all, 35 taxing entities will receive refunds.  The amount to be received by the various entities was calculated on a pro-rata basis based upon the amount of taxes collected on behalf of each taxing authority for the 2013 and 2014 tax years.

In a letter to the financial managers of the various taxing authorities, Federer said, “I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of you who work so hard to deliver efficient and effective services of many kinds to local citizens.”  He went on to say “I also want to thank the employees of the Auditor’s Office for their unfailing and ongoing efforts to keep our costs under control.  That efficiency played a large part in making this refund possible.”

Sealed proposals will be received by the Board of County Commissioners, Clark County, Ohio, in the Office of the Clerk to the Board of County Commissioners, 50 East Columbia Street, P.O. Box 2639, Springfield, Ohio 45501, UNTIL THURSDAY, AUGUST 22, 2013, AT 10:00 A.M. for the Clark County Accounting and Payroll System.

Notes of Pre-Proposal Conference 7-25-13

 Request for proposal documents are on file at, and may be obtained from, the Auditor’s Office, Clark County, Ohio, 31 North Limestone Street, Springfield, Ohio 45502. Contact Bob Vanderhorst at 521-1871 or bvanderhorst@clarkcountyohio.gov  to obtain proposal documents.

 Each proposal shall contain the full name and address of each person or company submitting the proposal.  All proposals must be submitted to the Clerk’s Office of the Board of County Commissioners, County Offices Building, 50 East Columbia Street, P.O. Box 2639, Springfield, Ohio, 45501-2639, NO LATER THAN THURSDAY, AUGUST 22, 2013 AT 10:00 A.M.  Proposals will be opened by the Clerk in public session at approximately 10:00 A.M. on August 22, 2013 in the Commission Conference Room, Fifth Floor, County Offices Building, 50 East Columbia Street, Springfield, Ohio.  Proposals are to be clearly marked on the outside of the envelope in the lower left hand corner “RFP for the Clark County Accounting and Payroll System”. The name and address of the person or company submitting the proposal shall also appear on the outside of the envelope.

 The County reserves the right to reject any and all proposals and to waive any defect in a proposal that does not materially alter the proposal.

 Please note the County is exempt from all Federal, State, and Local Sales and/or Excise Taxes.

 Attention to all persons or companies submitting proposals is called to the following requirements: compliance with Equal Employment Opportunity policies; signing of Non-Collusion Affidavit, Personal Property Tax Statement, Non- Discrimination Form, and Affidavit in Compliance with Section 3517.13 of the Ohio Revised Code, and their return with the proposal.  The person or company submitting the proposal that is accepted must also submit a performance bond and meet the County’s insurance requirements (requirements are included in the request for proposals documents).

 The proposal shall be accompanied by a bond or certified check, cashier’s check, or money order on a solvent bank or savings and loan association.  Proposal security furnished in bond form shall be in the full amount of the bid, which shall be issued by a surety company or corporation licensed in the State of Ohio to provide said surety.  Proposal security in the form of a certified check, cashier’s check, or money order shall be in an amount equal to five percent (5%) of the proposal cost, made payable to the Board of Clark County Commissioners.  Failure to submit a proper Proposal Guaranty will automatically invalidate the bid.

You may view this notice on the Board of Clark County Commissioners web site by going to www.clarkcountyohio.gov and clicking on the Notices/Hearings link or you may enter http://www.clarkcountyohio.gov/bids.aspx.   This notice will also be posted on the State of Ohio Public Notice Website.  You can view it by visiting http://publicnotice.ohio.gov/.

By order of the Board of County Commissioners, Clark County, Ohio

Megan Lokai, Clerk

News-Sun: July 18, 2013

The Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting has been awarded to Clark County by the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA) for its comprehensive annual financial report (CAFR). The Certificate of Achievement is the highest form of recognition in the area of governmental accounting and financial reporting, and its attainment represents a significant accomplishment by a government and its management.

An Award of Financial Reporting Achievement has been awarded to the individual(s), department or agency designated by the government as primarily responsible for preparing the award-winning CAFR, and this has been presented to John S. Federer, Clark County Auditor.

The CAFR has been judged by an impartial panel to meet the high standards of the program including demonstrating a constructive “spirit of full disclosure” to clearly communicate its financial story and motivate potential users and user groups to read the CAFR.

The GFOA is a nonprofit professional association serving approximately 17,500 government finance professionals with offices in Chicago, Illinois and Washington, D.C.

For Information Contact: Stephen Gauthier, GFOA
(312) 977-9700

The Clark County Auditor is pleased to share with the taxpayers that the County is continually working to maintain the highest standards in financial reporting, and recognizes Finance Director, Dave Crew, as a recipient of the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting from the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada. The Certificate of Achievement is the highest form of recognition in the area of governmental accounting and financial reporting, and its attainment represents a significant accomplishment by a government and its management.

The GFOA established the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting Program (CAFR) in 1945 to encourage and assist state and local governments to go beyond the minimum requirements of generally accepted accounting principles to prepare comprehensive financial reports that evidence the “spirit of full disclosure” to the taxpayers and to recognize individual governments that succeed in achieving that goal. Reports submitted to the CAFR program are reviewed by individuals with expertise in public-sector financial reporting and includes independent auditors, academics and other financial professionals. “I am extremely proud of the hard work and dedication of the employees in the Auditor’s office”, Federer said. “This achievement is a direct benefit to the taxpayers in the form of better bond rating which will lower interest rates and save the County hundreds of thousands of dollars. This is not the case in other Ohio counties!”

Clark County is estimated to lose more than a quarter million dollars in local government funds next year, while the city of Springfield will lose nearly $300,000, according to George Sodders, county auditor and secretary to the Clark County Budget Commission.

Clark County has escaped budgetary cuts during the first six months of 2009 only because county commissioners extended the temporary one-half percent addition to the permanent one percent tax levy. According to Clark County Auditor George Sodders, revenue from the one percent permanent tax is down more than 5.5 percent compared to the same time last year.