Davison Co. considers merger of auditor, treasurer

MITCHELL, S.D. (KELO) —The doors to Davison County’s auditor and treasurer offices already sit side-by-side, but a new proposal would combine the two together and move them even closer.

If the plan is approved, that means the next general election that a person could be chosen to serve as both auditor and treasurer for Davison County would be in November 2026.

But Chief Deputy Auditor for Davison County James Matthews is concerned about the removal of checks and balances that would come if roles combine.

“In our current status quo system, we have an elected treasurer and an elected auditor and our offices take each other’s work at the end of the month and are able to balance all the accounts to check each thing to the penny,” Matthews said. “With one office, you eliminate that checking of balance of both independent offices, working together to ensure that all the finances are accounted for and to prevent fraud.”

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Matthews also worries about the right of the voter to elect both the treasurer and auditor of their choosing. He turned in his resignation on Tuesday.

“I was notified prior to the commission hearing and an executive session of the plan to go forward with this. I was not, or our previous auditor, brought into this plan,” Matthews said. “And without that, I notified them that going forward with this ordinance would be why I would be offering my resignation if they were to do that.”

KELOLAND News reached out to the four commissioners present at the meeting, but they were unavailable for on-camera interviews. The Davison County Treasurer’s Office was also unable to comment at this time.

The proposal receives its second reading on Sept. 10.