An independent approach to the county’s audit

The Island Now
Nassau County Comptroller Jack Schnirman (Courtesy of Comptroller's Office)

As comptroller, it is my responsibility to guide my office to be the watchdog of the county’s finances.

That is why I announced this week that I will be revitalizing the county’s Independent Audit Advisory Committee, an established citizen oversight function that has been underutilized for too long.

 The Independent Audit Advisory Committee, first created in 2003, is tasked with monitoring the county’s financial statements and providing input on the county budget and external audit plan.

The committee is intended to be composed of five Nassau County residents who have no conflicts or business related to county government and hold no position in any political party or local government.

This is a vital layer of much-needed fiscal oversight, and its existence and operations are too important not to be a regular oversight function of county government.

We are looking for applicants with experience and expertise in accounting, financial reporting, and finance who will be independent, and grounded in professionalism.

The committee members will bring their knowledge of accounting and finance from the private sector to help identify best practices and guide the Comptroller’s Office to be more efficient and effective by monitoring the preparation and external audit of the county’s financial statements.

Positions on the Independent Audit Advisory Committee will be unpaid, and anyone interested in applying is asked to visit https://www.nassaucountyny.gov/4489/Independent-Audit-Advisory-Committee and download the application form.

Unlike in previous years, the committee will meet on a quarterly basis to provide additional oversight to generate timely reports, regularly report back to the comptroller’s Office, and insist upon corrective actions when needed to improve operations.

The Office of the Nassau County Comptroller will review submissions from members of the public who wish to serve on this committee.

Once the committee is set, a meeting schedule will be established so that this group can get to work looking out for the taxpayers.

My office will soon announce additional opportunities for members of the public with applicable talents and experience to contribute to our mission of improving public oversight and transparency to drive reform.

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