Griggs County panel holds public meeting on proposed auditor-treasurer consolidation

The Griggs County commission on Aug. 10 held a public meeting to review a proposal to consolidate the county auditor and county treasurer offices into a single auditor/treasurer position with two deputies. The Chair said the session was intended to explain the plan and "hear from the members of the public," and emphasized that no final decision would be made at the meeting.

Supporters at the meeting said consolidation is increasingly common: "there are currently 23 counties that have already merged the 2 positions out of 53 counties," the Chair noted in materials distributed to attendees. Commissioners and staff said the change is being considered partly because of a recent vacancy in the treasurer position and could improve efficiency, strengthen financial operations and ensure longer-term sustainability. Commissioner Rod described Nelson County's earlier consolidation as a working model that other counties, including Foster County, had emulated.

Staff described several safeguards the commission would keep in place if the offices are combined, including continued budgeting for the vacant standalone position this year and maintaining annual external audits and internal checks so that no single person controls funds end to end. The commission emphasized that the public would have opportunities to comment and that the board would not finalize the decision at the Aug. 10 meeting.