Duties & Responsibilities

The office of County Auditor was created in 1870. The duties of the office covered areas that had previously been given to the County Judge in 1851 and later in 1861 to the Clerk of Court. The State Legislature added the duties of Commissioner of Elections in the early 1970s. The County Auditor is an elected position with a term of four years. Today the primary duties and responsibilities of the Black Hawk County Auditor are as follows:

• Election Department - A division of the Auditor's Office, conducting all elections in the county and maintaining voter registration records.
• Real Estate, Taxation - Keeps records of all property ownership in the county. Determines tax rates and property taxes for all taxable property based on valuations and certified local budgets.
• Accounts Payable and Receivable - Keeps ledger accounts of all revenues and expenditures of the county. Receives claims for payment from various departments, prepares list for Board of Supervisors, issues payment for claims approved by Board.
• Payroll - Keeps all wage and withholding records for county employees. Receives time cards, computes wages, generates and distributes payroll checks.
• Clerk to Board of Supervisors - Takes minutes of meetings and maintain records of Board proceedings.
• Permits - Sells, on behalf of the State of Iowa, permits for beer, liquor and cigarette sales by businesses in the unincorporated areas of the county.