Kane County auditor candidates seek transparency on spending

Both candidates for Kane County auditor say they want to make sure information about the county’s spending is easily available to the public.

Republican Gretchen Butler of St. Charles is challenging incumbent Democrat Penny Wegman for the four-year term on Tuesday.

Butler wrote in a Daily Herald questionnaire, “By promoting transparency and public comprehension, I aim to foster trust and ensure that all citizens are well-informed about the county’s finances.”

Wegman said she will continue to improve the transparency of the office, which posts audit reports and other documents on its website.

Butler manages accounts at the hardware business she and her husband own. She said in an interview that she is running because “I saw the job and what it entailed and was just intrigued.” She also said she is not aware of any specific issues with the office that need to be discussed with the county board.

“My priority will be to thoroughly review the office procedures, assess day-to-day operations, and ensure that budget details and audit findings are communicated clearly and proactively,” she wrote in the questionnaire.

Wegman, of Elgin, said since being elected she has undergone 300 hours of continuing education. State law requires 20 hours per year. The auditor’s office does not have any authority over how county departments and elected officials spend their budgets.

“They don’t have to give me a business purpose or use. I can only make recommendation on policy,” Wegman said.

She has concentrated more on auditing accounts payable and payroll recently, rather than audits of purchase card (credit card) use or officer-transition audits, she said, because she has a small staff. Four people work for the auditor — two full time, a part-time worker and an intern. Any audit of countywide spending has to be ordered by the county board and done by an outside auditor, she said.