Nevada County Auditor-Controller Gina Will, the chief accounting officer of Nevada County, is busy watching over the budget for the county, special districts and schools after officially being sworn into the position earlier this month.
Will’s job is to ensure that tax dollars are appropriated correctly and that all incoming and outgoing receipts for services received or provided are accounted for.
“I think our office is really just trying to provide efficient, valuable services to safeguard the assets of taxpayers,” Will said.
Will has plenty of experience reporting on the county’s budget. She worked under Marcia Salter, the previous auditor-controller since 2020. Sworn into office on Jan. 10, Will said she learns new things all the time and that reporting on financial information within the government is a central priority.
“We want to be transparent in our financial reporting and continually look for ways that we can do things better and more efficiently,” Will said.
Helping the public and other agencies, such as the Governmental Accounting Standards Board, understand financial reports that are useful to taxpayers, public officials and investors is a genuine goal that Will described as “checks and balances” within the system.
“I will also strive to improve perceptions about transparency in county financial reporting. There is a wealth of information available and provided, but perhaps our office can present it in a way that is easier to locate and understand,” Will said.
Paying the bills and keeping an eye on upcoming projects is only part of Will’s job. When grant money is accepted by the county, Will must follow up and make sure that stipulations of the grant are documented and filed correctly. In addition, she must make sure payroll and benefits are in order and that taxes are paid for all of the county’s assets.
Overseeing public records, such as marriage or birth certificates, criminal records, trial transcripts, voting records or immigration records, all fall on the lap of Will’s office.
“Looking at our processes. We’re always looking at our processes and procedures and seeing if there is a better way to provide the service that we provide,” Will said.
Constantly referring to the work of her team, Will is modest about all the responsibility she holds within the county.
“My team and I will continue to look for ways to streamline processes and utilize technology to increase efficiency and accuracy,” Will said.
To contact Staff Writer Marianne Boll-See, email mboll-see@theunion.com.
