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Debate over report access to county financial system highlights auditor’s authority, data‑security concerns
Summary
Committee members debated granting a member report‑only access to the county’s financial system (CIC). The county auditor and committee legal counsel said the auditor determines access; members urged collaboration and review of report options rather than unilateral changes.
Committee member Craig Bridal asked May 30 for the ability to run reports directly from the county’s financial software (CIC) to build rolling monthly trial balances and other analytical extracts.
Bridal said having report access would let him extract a trial balance by month, link prior‑year and budget numbers in Excel, and create dashboard‑style views to speed committee review. He characterized the work as “trying to help the auditor’s office” by identifying the data tables CIC would need to produce tailored reports.
Auditor Stephanie and other committee members raised data‑security and statutory‑authority concerns. One committee participant said, “The way I understand the statute, the auditor does,” in response to who can authorize system access; the chair reiterated that the auditor, as a constitutional officer, controls access to the county’s financial system. Several members cited recent fraud elsewhere as a cautionary example — Rock Island’s loss was specifically mentioned — and said any expanded access should be carefully controlled and run through the auditor’s office.
Outcome and guidance: No change to system permissions was recorded. Chair Tina Jensen and others recommended Bridal work directly with the auditor and her staff to identify reports the auditor could produce, and to involve county counsel if a policy change is sought. Several members supported report‑only access in principle, noting common corporate practice of exporting read‑only reports for analysis, but emphasized that final authorization resides with the auditor.
Context and next steps: The committee agreed the auditor is responsible for system security and should decide who receives access; Bridal said he would continue to offer support and work with auditing staff to develop needed reports. Committee members suggested resolving details with counsel and the auditor rather than setting precedent without policy guidance.
