Columbus– Bringing fire and police compensation in line with peers and increasing employee contributions to health insurance are among $500,800 in potential savings identified for the City of Wooster (Wayne County), according to a performance audit released today by Auditor of State Dave Yost.

“Outside review provides a check on what you are doing and helps keep you grounded in the same fiscal reality faced by businesses and families every day,” Auditor Yost said. “The city stepped up and welcomed that scrutiny, and by and large, they’re running a pretty lean operation.”

A comparison of collective bargaining agreements with peers showed Wooster compensation levels ranging from approximately 6 to 8 percent above peers, offering a savings opportunity of $220,000 annually. Another $112,000 could be saved if employee health insurance contributions were raised to the statewide average.

The report also makes additional financial and non-financial recommendations, including use of part-time staff to reduce overtime costs, publishing PAFRs—popular annual financial reports—and making various incidental improvements to internal management policies.

A full copy of this audit can be found online.

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The Auditor of State’s office, one of five independently elected statewide offices in Ohio, is responsible for auditing more than 5,600 state and local government agencies.  Under the direction of Auditor Dave Yost, the office also provides financial services to local governments, investigates and prevents fraud in public agencies and promotes transparency in government.

Contact:
Carrie Bartunek
Press Secretary
614-644-1111