Lake County treasurer outlines cross-training, Tyler conversion issues and offers regular account reports

Treasurer Deidra told the Lake County Board of County Commissioners that her office has expanded staff cross‑training, is working with county departments to improve revenue tracking, and will provide periodic reports showing beginning balances and where county funds are held and invested.

The update, given during a county meeting, focused on internal training after staff changes, ongoing issues from a conversion to Tyler financial software, and the county’s investment practices. “So they kind of got forced into all the things that I took on that they weren't really doing in the office,” Deidra said of staff learning new duties. She said Erica and Patrick helped with month‑end and year‑end processes while she was on maternity leave.

Deidra described how the county’s Tyler system handles monthly distributions to entities and said a setup error during conversion likely caused at least one distribution mismatch. “I think it just initially when we did the conversion with Tyler and everything, I think it just got inputted in correctly when it got initially set up,” she said. She added that the Tyler back end “pushes it through a flow system” each month so incorrect back‑end inputs can cause wrong distributions.

A commissioner pressed the treasurer on whether the assessor and treasurer coordinate on levy and collection data; Deidra said the assessor provides mill levy and valuation information but the treasurer’s office does some manual input on Tyler. “So it could have very, like, been, like, an error input, and I think that's what the case was,” she said. The commissioner replied that the mismatch was not a failure to work together but a need for better communication between offices.

On investments, Deidra said the county’s funds are spread among multiple accounts and vendors and that financial advisers for those accounts contact the treasurer’s staff when instruments such as CDs reach maturity. “They'll get a hold of Patrick or us, let us know that if our CD is reaching maturity … I recommend this,” she said, describing advisers’ role as making suggestions the office typically reviews.

When asked whether a specific mine‑closure fund was invested, Deidra said it was hard to say precisely because the county “has everything in one big pot” and then allocates across funds. “So a part of those funds for that mine closure is possibly sitting out in investments,” she said. She cautioned that the office could not confirm exact holdings on the spot.

Commissioners asked for more education and routine briefings for elected officials, noting that frequent turnover among elective offices makes ongoing training useful. A commissioner requested greater transparency about where funds are held and how balances change year to year; Deidra said the treasurer’s office could generate a report showing opening balances, amounts in the main account and in investment accounts, and share it with commissioners. “We could do a report or something to get shared,” she said.

The discussion included operational details — cross‑training of staff, outreach to other counties for Tyler best practices, and efforts to improve cash management, forecasting and risk management — but no formal motions or votes were recorded on those items.

The treasurer’s offer to provide routine account and investment reports is the concrete next step discussed; commissioners and the treasurer indicated they will follow up on timing and report format in subsequent communications.