Accountant – Drain Commissioner's Office

Under the direction of the Eaton County Drain Commissioner, or their designee, maintains the accounting and financial records of the Drain Office. Maintains accounts for all drainage districts and charges costs to accounts, maintains the various finds of the office and prepares required activity and financial reports. This position requires coordination with the Eaton County Treasurer’s Office and the County Controller’s Office to achieve many of the essential functions of the role.

Starting pay is dependent on an applicant's relevant experience and the position level they are offered.  

**Applications are accepted until there are sufficient numbers of qualified applications or a qualified candidate is identified.  This position could close at any time.**  Essential Functions:

1. Maintains financial accounts for all drainage districts, the equipment revolving fund, and the revolving fund. Includes the issuance of payments to contractors and vendors and the identification of districts that need to be assessed. Collects money from property owners for work performed by Drain Office. 
2. Prepares computation of costs for drains to be assessed including time, materials, equipment used, past costs not covered by prior assessments, future anticipated costs and other costs. Enters costs data in a computer. 
3. On a monthly basis reconciles financial data between different software systems used in the Drain Office; This work is done in coordination with the County Treasurer’s Office and Controller’s Office ensuring an orderly transfer of funding of maintenance, construction and other related expenses.
4. Prepares and maintains the Drain Capital Improvement Plan/Drain Infrastructure documents. This includes updating and preparing the necessary reports needed for audit compliance.  
5. Development and maintenance of promissory notes issued between drains; which includes updating the applicable ledger and dataset used to monitor these agreements. 
6. Responsible for preparing required financial reports (such as the status of all drain funds) for the Drain Commissioner. Prepares portions of the annual report and drain assessment reports as directed. 
7. Determines multi-year payoff amounts including prorating interest, maintaining records of same to accurately respond to title insurance companies, banks, realtors and individual property owners as to unpaid balances and interests. 
8. Oversees and implements a multi-layered database system. At the direction of the Drain Commissioner, or their designee, designs and implements new databases as they relate to the control of financial information. 
9. Coordinate with other County departments including but not limited to the County Treasurer and County Equalization/Tax Mapping in the maintenance of drain records and other documents as they relate to the control of financial information.
10. Assists the Deputy Drain Commissioner with providing copies of the annual drain and other special assessment rolls to municipalities and others in compliance with the drain code and other pertinent statutes. This includes reconciling issues regarding the assessment rolls between municipal treasurer’s offices.
11. Manages retention accounts for drains regarding funds held until payments for contractors are approved. 
12. Works with the County Treasurer to invest drain funds and ensure the funds are available when needed.
13. Works with the County Controller’s Office to assist with the County’s annual audit process by organizing pertinent information (such as drain debt schedules), assembling financial data and providing documents on behalf of the Drain Office. 
14. Trains support staff on accounting procedures. Reviews and organizes the work of others as it relates to financial controls and information for the Drain Office.

Other Functions: 

1. Performs other duties as assigned. 
2. Must adhere to all departmental standards.

Education: Bachelor's Degree in accounting, finance or a closely related area. Relevant experience may be considered in lieu of a formal degree.
Experience: A minimum of 2 years of professional accounting experience is required. Preferred experience working with drain accounts or in a governmental setting. Physical Requirements: 
(This job requires the ability to perform the essential functions contained in this description. These include, but are not limited to, the following requirements. Reasonable accommodations will be made for otherwise qualified applicants unable to fulfill one or more of these requirements):

• Ability to access department files.
• Ability to enter and retrieve information from computers.
• Ability to retrieve files from storage vault.
• Sitting, walking, standing, bending over and lifting/holding/carrying objects found in an office environment. 
• Ability to communicate and respond to co-worker and customer inquiries both in person and over the phone.
• Ability to operate a PC/laptop and to enter & retrieve information from a computer.
• Ability to handle varying and often high levels of stress. 

Working Conditions:

• The work environment is a typical office setting where sensory experience includes uniform temperatures, conversational noise and everyday office activities.

Salary : $48,297 - $70,636