Finances, Payroll & Accounting

The County Auditor is the Chief Fiscal Officer in the County. It is his/her responsibility to account for the millions of dollars received each year by each county and to issue warrants (checks) in payment of all County obligations, including the distribution of tax dollars to each township, village, city, school district, library system and county agency.

The Auditor is the paymaster for all county employees. He/she also distributes motor vehicle license fees, gasoline taxes, estate taxes, fines and local government funds in addition to real estate, personal property and manufactured home taxes.

As Chief Fiscal Officer, the Auditor is required to prepare the county's annual financial report. Most counties, including Warren County, prepare an Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR). Click on the dropdown menu above to go to a specific year ACFR.

The Auditor's Office Department of Accounting and Payroll consists of a staff of nine full time employees and one part time employee. This division is responsible for the Accounting, Payroll and Financial Reporting of the County and its agencies.

At the end of December 2023 Warren County had 1,173 active employees in the payroll system. During 2023 a total of 34,314 payroll warrants and direct deposits were paid out. Some of the responsibilities of the Payroll Department are:

• Maintain employee tax, voluntary deduction and retirement system records;
• Maintain prior service history data base;
• Input all current bi-weekly payroll information including hours, voluntary deductions and changes;
• Process bi-weekly payroll;
• Make all necessary payments for employee withholdings; and
• Process all required tax filings, pension reporting and W-2's.

Some of the voluntary deductions offered to employees that the Payroll Department handles are:

• Ohio Public Employees Deferred Compensation Program;
• CCAO Deferred Compensation Program;
• Minnesota Life;
• AFLAC;
• Flexible Spending Accounts for Health & Dependent Care;
• Countryside YMCA;
• Disability Life Insurance; and
• United Way.

The Accounting Department of the Auditor's Office is responsible for the processing of all non-payroll obligations of the County and its agencies. During 2023 a total of 30,207 general warrants and EFTs were paid out. Some of the obligations of the Accounting Department include:

• Posting purchase orders;
• Maintaining vendor files;
• Posting Commissioner financial resolutions;
• Process invoices for payment;
• Monthly balancing with the County Treasurer;
• Distribute Local Government, Revenue Assistance and Motor Vehicle Tax dollars; and
• Process all required tax filings for forms 1099.

All payments received by County offices must first be recorded with the Accounting Department before being accepted by the Treasurer for payment into the County Treasury. In 2023, 25,751 revenue pay-ins were recorded for Warren County.