County finance committee presses for PO system, accruals and faster invoice processing to avoid surprise bills

LaSalle County's Finance & TIF Committee used its Feb. 3 meeting to press for operational changes aimed at reducing late‑arriving invoices and improving cash‑flow visibility.

Committee member Craig argued for implementing accrual accounting and a purchase‑order/receiving system so the county records liabilities earlier and generates a usable cash‑flow statement. "If you're always two months behind... we never have good financials," Craig said, urging that invoices or purchase orders be keyed into the system so due dates and expected cash outflows are visible.

Members noted examples of payments and orders that were not visible in current monthly reports, including an EMS truck PO with a large price tag that had not been recorded as a liability. Stephanie and Davis (auditor staff) agreed to pilot the PO and receiving process in the auditor's office after the outside auditors complete the year‑end work. Committee members also discussed centralizing how credit‑card statements and other invoices are sent so the accounting office can pull e‑statements immediately rather than wait for mailed copies.

The committee endorsed starting the pilot in the auditor's office, having auditor staff compile and key POs and receiving reports into the AP system, and then rolling the procedure out to other departments over time.

Next steps: Davis and Stephanie to coordinate the PO/receiving pilot and report progress to the committee after the audit.