Ross County Auditor Tom Spetnagel has announced his intention to seek re-election for a second term in 2018. Spetnagel, a 35-year-old Democrat, was appointed to the office in 2013 after serving a single term as Chillicothe City Auditor and was subsequently elected to a full term in 2014.
“I love my job and my hometown, and I want to continue to be a part of its renaissance. As Auditor, I have brought the county’s business practices into the 21st century, replacing outdated paper ledgers with electronic reports and moving all 700+ county employees to a ‘direct deposit’ payroll system,” Spetnagel said. He was quick to credit his staff for many of the improvements. “My most important job is to put the right people in the right positions, and I have surrounded myself with the best of the best."
Other accomplishments Spetnagel cites during his first term include: earning clean audits from the State for each year as Auditor; putting Ross County’s finances online at the OhioCheckbook.com site; partnering with the County Recorder to help implement Erecording of deeds; and creating a fun essay contest for area fourth graders to coincide with the annual dog licensing season.
In addition to carrying out the duties of his office, Spetnagel also serves on the statewide Executive Committee for the County Auditors’ Association of Ohio, as well as numerous local boards and committees.