Seeley Swan Pathfinder -

When I introduce myself as the Missoula County auditor, most people respond with:

"Are you like the IRS?"

"Do you go door to door and audit taxpayers?"

"Nice to meet you, am I in trouble?"

I am pleased to clarify that the county auditor's role is that of an internal auditor. My job is to ensure that county policy is followed and to design internal controls to safeguard against waste, fraud and abuse in county government. Yes, it's as glamorous as it sounds.

One of the most important ways my office guards against abuse is through the claims process. This is a process in which all account...