DeKalb watchdog job to be filled soon

After years of debate, a financial watchdog over DeKalb County's government is on the verge of being hired.

The names of two finalists for the chief auditor job have been submitted to the DeKalb Commission, which must choose one of them within 30 days, according to a state law passed last year. If the commission doesn't act, the citizen-led DeKalb Audit Oversight Committee will appoint the auditor.

The auditor will be responsible for finding fraud, reducing inefficiencies and exposing waste, according to House Bill 599. The position will pay at least $130,000 a year.

“We want to move this county forward,” said Harold Smith, the chairman of the Audit Oversight Committee. “It would certainly be a step in the right direction … You’ll see a lot more transparency.”

The names of the finalists were released Monday:

• Brandon Duck of Waunakee, Wis., is the chief financial officer for International Relief & Development, a nonprofit organization with the goal of implementing relief programs across the world. Duck oversees the work of more than 100 accountants and has achieved a 25 percent reduction in annual expenditures, according to his resume. Duck is a certified public accountant and a certified internal auditor
• John Greene, of Tallahassee, Fla., is the inspector general for the Florida Secretary of State's Office. Greene coordinates audits, investigations and management reviews for the department, according to his resume. Greene has more than 16 years of experience in audit management and accounting. He's a certified internal auditor, a certified inspector general, a certified government auditing professional and a certified government financial manager.

Forty-nine candidates applied for the job, and the Audit Oversight Committee interviewed seven of them. The committee voted 4-0 on Aug. 5 to submit the finalists to the DeKalb Commission.