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Monroe County Auditor
Overview
The County Auditor serves as an accountant for the county, administering both property records and financial records. Duties of the office include certifying property owners, maintaining tax exemptions and deductions, administering county payroll and human resource records, and making bond payments. The auditor runs for election every four years and may not serve more than two consecutive terms. The auditor has a staff of roughly twelve people.
Steve Saulter
The current auditor is Steve Saulter. He has an accounting degree from Indiana University and worked for 23 years as a Field Examiner for the State Board of Accounts. He also worked as the County Financial Director.
Amy Gerstman
Saulter replaced Amy Gerstman when she chose not to run for re-election. Gerstman's tenure was notorious due to her use of county credit cards for personal expenses numbering in the thousands of dollars. While some of the charges were for expenses such as travel and training as auditor, others were for personal expenses such as groceries and school tuition. The Monroe County Council censured Gerstman for these activities.
Sandy Newmann
Gerstman defeated Sandy Newmann in the 2008 Democratic primary. Newmann was first elected auditor in 2004 after a heavily contested race against Pat Jeffries.
Newmann's first term was marked by many changes. Upon taking over the auditor's office, she requested that many of the permanent staff leave their positions. The objectivity of the replacements Newmann made, including the hiring of her daughter, Sondra Berg, were called into question. This led to former employee, Larry Cassady filing a complaint - later dismissed - with the EEOC in 2006, claiming Newmann had fired him due to his age. She made some progress towards computerizing many of the functions of the office, but faced problems with county payroll in early 2007. Her attempt to change access procedures and rights to property transfer filings led was not well received by local title companies, and eventually led several Monroe County Council members to request her resignation. Newmann responded with a press conference (2) in which she announced that she would reassign her chief deputy Cathy Smith, replacing her with Mark Hazelbaker.
Prior to 2000
From 1984 to 2000, Republicans held the office but often faced significant competition in primary races.
Office holders include:
- Steve Saulter: 2012 - Present
- Amy Gerstman: 2008 - 2012
- Sandy Newmann: 2004 - 2008
- Barb Clark: 1996 - 2004
- Margaret Cook: 1988 - 1996
- Rodney Brown: 1984 - 1988
- W. F. Kinser: 1912 - ?
- Horace Blakely: 1908 - 1912
- Samuel Kerr: 1900 - 1908
- Fred Matthews: 1896 -1900
- Marion Hinkle: 1892 - 1896
- William Blair: 1888 - 1892
- Simeon Pedigo: 1886 - 1888
- W. M. Alexander: 1882 - 1886
- R. A. Fulk: 1878 - 1882
- James Manley: 1870 - 1878
- Henry Perry: 1867 - 1870
- Milton McPhetridge: 1863 - 1867
- Robert Foster: 1855 - ?
- William Tarkington: 1841 - ?
