Wright County supervisors authorize new banking controls; treasurer to be named admin user

The Wright County Board of Supervisors on June 2 approved new online banking controls with First Citizens designed to reduce check fraud and to move more county payments to ACH, and the board recorded a set of named administrative and user accounts to operate the service.

Wright County Treasurer Peggy Schluttenhofer told the board the county will receive daily online reports of checks presented so the treasurer’s office can confirm payee names and amounts before the bank pays them. “Checks are a huge, huge liability,” Schluttenhofer said, arguing the change is safer than continuing to rely on paper warrants and mailed checks.

The program also includes an “online account control” for First Citizens credit cards that lets administrators turn cards on or off and set limits; Schluttenhofer recommended that the treasurer’s office hold the administrative role while the auditor’s office performs bill-paying functions as a control. Schluttenhofer said the service is already being set up with the bank and described two permission levels: an administrator with full control and a basic user who can make ACH payments.

Board action recorded the names to be used for initial access: Wright County Treasurer Peggy Schluttenhofer (admin), the treasurer’s deputy (admin), Joan (basic user in the auditor’s office), and Deb Nassim (backup basic user). The board moved and approved the authorization by voice vote; the motion carried with all ayes.

Why it matters: Schluttenhofer and a fraud specialist from First Citizens described cases where checks were altered (“check washing”), including an example a presenter cited where a $4,000 check became $40,000 after tampering. The change aims to reduce liability, save postage, and avoid repeated staff hours spent chasing late or misprocessed payments.

Implementation and limits: Schluttenhofer said the First Citizens service works only with First Citizens credit cards and that adding or removing users later will require subsequent board action. She also said the county would need to supply board minutes naming who should hold admin access as part of the service setup.

Votes at a glance - Motion to authorize the First Citizens positive‑pay and account control setup and to name Peggy Schluttenhofer (treasurer) and the treasurer’s deputy as admin users, Joan as a basic user and Deb Nassim as Joan’s backup: outcome — approved (voice vote; all ayes). The minutes will be used to register the named users with the bank.

Reported financial details and operational notes - Treasurers and staff described there is no up‑front cost for the banking positive‑pay service as presented; Schluttenhofer said she would confirm fee details with First Citizens. She estimated daily reports arrive “very early in the morning.”

The board did not specify implementation deadlines beyond the requirement that minutes be provided to the bank. Supervisors asked that access be tied to named individuals initially and that future changes come back to the board.

Sources: Presentation and discussion with Wright County Treasurer Peggy Schluttenhofer; board motions recorded on the June 2, 2025 meeting minutes.