GRANDVIEW Auditor’s Award

Grandview Heights receives top finance honor

The Grandview Heights Finance Department is one of the best in Ohio, according to State Auditor Dave Yost.

Brian Mead from Yost’s office attended the Sept. 4 City Council meeting to present Grandview Heights with the Auditor of State Award with Distinction. Fewer than 100 of Ohio’s 5,600 public entities earned the award, putting Grandview Heights in the top 1 percent statewide, says Robert Dvoraczky, Grandview Heights finance director.

Dvoraczky credits the finance department staff –Assistant Finance Director Megan Miller and Accountant Kathy Kovacs – for their hard work to keep accurate records.

“What makes them special is they anticipate my questions even before I ask them,” Dvoraczky says. “As a team, we work really well together, and I think this award shows that.”

Grandview Heights has received the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting from the Government Finance Officers Association every year since 2004. The Award with Distinction was introduced when Yost entered office in 2011.

The award is presented to public entities that have clean audits, which means no findings for recovery, material citations or weaknesses, significant deficiencies, Single Audit findings, or questioned costs.

In addition, the management letter from the auditor must have no comments related to any of the following: ethics referrals, questioned costs less than $10,000, lack of timely report submission, reconciliation, failure to obtain a timely Single Audit, findings of recovery less than $100 or public meetings or public records. The entity must also file timely Comprehensive Annual Financial Reports.

“It’s very special to the Finance Department staff,” Dvoraczky says. “But more important is the trust and the confidence

By Lisa Aurand

of our residents in their city government. That really means a lot to us all.”

The award showcases Grandview Heights’ strengths. “I’m hoping it sends the message that the city of Grandview Heights is a good place to live, work and do business,” Dvoraczky says. “We appreciate the support we receive from the community with levies and so forth. We feel appreciated and honored.”

Lisa Aurand is editor of Tri-Village Magazine. Feedback welcome at laurand@cityscenemediagroup.com.