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Norwood finance committee posts auditor timeline, begins monthly tracking of state audit comments
Summary
The Norwood Finance Committee reviewed a new auditor timeline and an Excel tracker for the Auditor of State's report on accounting methods, and agreed to a monthly review process and to bring some items to city council for formal policy action.
The City of Norwood Finance Committee opened its first 2025 meeting by describing new tools the administration has posted to increase transparency and track state audit findings. Committee members reviewed an auditor timeline on the city website and an Excel-based tracker that maps the 34 Auditor of State comments in the report on accounting methods.
Committee members said the timeline lists tasks by month (for example, the certificate of estimated resources is due to the Hamilton County auditor by Jan. 31) and that the tracker identifies which department or staff member is responsible for each Auditor of State comment. The committee asked staff to maintain the tracker in a shared folder, add a completion-date column, and bring monthly updates back to the finance committee and to city council when policy approval is required.
Committee members and staff said some comments are already cleared, others have repeatedly been tested (in 2021 —2 —2 —23, etc.), and a subset will require council-approved policies. Finance staff said they will forward sample minutes showing which financial reports were provided, so the Auditor of State can clear routine comments that only require documentation in the minutes.
The committee also discussed drafting a citywide policy on safeguarding receipts and daily deposit practices after the report noted inconsistent practices. Staff said they will draft a policy and bring it to council for approval, and that department heads (and specific staff) will be asked to sign off on procedures.
Committee members emphasized the need to mark items as "cleared" in the tracker before sending it to the Auditor of State to avoid confusion about the city's status on long-running items. The group settled on a monthly rhythm for review and updates so progress can be tracked and documented.
The committee did not take a formal vote on policy at the meeting; members said they will present any required ordinances or policy measures to full council later.
