While most local races are featuring a healthy number of candidates this election year, incumbent Victor S. Hurlbert of the Northland in Kansas City is unopposed for reelection as Clay County Auditor. Of Course, Hurlburt seems to rather competent in his first term, in fact so well, no one wanted to run against him. But following the ethically challenged antics of former commissioners Gene Owens, and Louann Ridgeway, who are facing the possibility of criminal investigations, presented a low bar for Hurlbert.
Here is an excerpt from his campaign's following press release.
"During his time in office since first being elected in 2018, Auditor Hurlbert conducted nineteen audits while awaiting the results of the citizen-petition State Audit. One of his audits on government credit cards, or “P-Cards,” was specifically referenced in the State Audit. Clay County implemented his recommendations and cut its overall credit card limits some 65% or $650,000. He further uncovered a missing $20,000 in credit card rebates due to the County. Auditor Hurlbert then spearheaded an innovative and secure electronic payment system in place of both credit cards as well as paper checks.
As part of his leadership, Auditor Hurlbert’s office assumed responsibility for the County’s financial statements. For the first time in a about a decade, the County received no findings on its financial statement audit. This in turn helped the County restructure its debt by $40 million, equating to a two-thirds reduction. The Auditor also oversees compliance regarding Federal COVID grants for the Single Audit of County financial statements.
Finally, starting in 2021, the Auditor took on a larger role with the Budget as Accounting Officer. His work led to the Commission approving $2.5 million of cuts in bureaucratic waste and instead using a lot of that to increase starting Sheriff Deputy salaries. By the 2022 Budget, the County’s reserves doubled and general fund balances improved by approximately 30%. Hurlbert attributes this to a strong economy in Clay County along with conservative fiscal management.
“As a conservative, I enjoy being Auditor. I’m always looking for ways to make County government more efficient and accountable to the people,” said Hurlbert.
Going forward, Hurlbert wants to continue in these efforts. “Clay County is one of the fastest growing in Missouri, as the 2020 Census revealed. Cooperating with all County officials, we will strive to make our government one of the best-run statewide. It’s time to press onward and leave the past days behind us.” His next particular goals include to obtain the GFOA’s recognition for a Popular Annual Financial Report and modernize the County’s accounting system. "
In his personal life, Victor is happily married to his wife while raising two children. A former Naval Intelligence Officer, U.S. Naval Academy graduate, and Global War on Terrorism veteran, Mr. Hurlbert also grew up in Clay County where he attended Oak Park High School. Later, he earned a Master’s degree from Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He continues to hold the Certified Government Auditing Professional (CGAP) designation from the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA).
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