Staff Donna Pappas, City Controller Yvonne Hoffmaster, Deputy Controller Cathy Gonder, Assistant to the Controller Sheila Boone, Assistant to the Controller Office Hours Monday - Friday    8:00 am to 4:30 pm

Office of the Controller 100 East Michigan Boulevard Michigan City, Indiana 46360 voice:(219) 873-1404 fax:(219) 873-1542

Purpose/Mission

The Controller's office is the financial department of the city, serving as treasurer and auditor. The department oversees the payment of invoices, payrolls, and pensions, as well as the receipts of the city. The mission of the department is to accurately pay all properly documented invoices, payrolls, and pensions in a timely manner, while maximizing investment opportunities, thus reducing the need to borrow funds. The department issues payments from more that 100 funds on behalf of 30 departments.

Staff

Donna Pappas, Controller
dpappas@emichigancity.com

As the City Controller, Donna is the head fiscal officer of the city department of finance. As fiscal officer, Donna and her department perform the following duties:

• Prescribe the form of reports and accounts to be submitted to the department.
• Sign and issue all warrants on the city treasury.
• Audit and revise all accounts and trusts in which the city is concerned.
• Keep separate accounts for each item of appropriation made for each city department, including a statement showing the amount drawn on each appropriation, the unpaid contracts charged against it, and the balance remaining.
• At the end of each fiscal year, submit under oath to the city legislative body a report of the accounts of the city, published in pamphlet form and showing revenues, receipts, expenditures, and the sources of revenues.
• Maintain custody of the records of the department and turn them over to the fiscal officer's successor in office.
• Perform duties prescribed by statute concerning the negotiation of city bonds, notes, and warrants.
• Keep a register of bonds of the city and of transfers of those bonds.
• Manage the finances and accounts of the city and make investments of city money, subject to the ordinances of the legislative body.
• Issue city licenses on payment of the license fee.
• Collect fees as fixed by ordinance.
• Pay into the city treasury, once each week, all fees and other city money collected by the department during the preceding week, specifying the source of each item.
• Prescribe payroll and account forms for all city offices.
• Prescribe the manner in which salaries shall be drawn.
• Prescribe the manner in which creditors, officers, and employees shall be paid.
• Provide that all salaries are payable monthly, unless the legislative body establishes more frequent payments.
• Notify the city executive of the failure of any city officer to collect money due the city or to pay city money into the city treasury.
• Draw warrants on the city treasury for miscellaneous city expenditures not made under the discretion of a department and not specifically fixed by statute.

Yvonne Hoffmaster, Deputy Controller
yvonneh@emichigancity.com

Yvonne is responsible for coordinating banking activities such as deposits, monthly reconciliations, and monitoring investment maturities. She issues payment of state fuel taxes, assists department heads, prepares the monthly and annual financial statements, submits status reports for numerous state and federal grants, and assists in the preparation of the city's annual budget. Yvonne is also the department's computer manager, responsible for staff training and application of new software. Yvonne oversees the state's electronic payments to the city.

Cathy Gonder, Assistant to the Controller
cathyg@emichigancity.com

Cathy is responsible for issuing city bi-weekly payroll, as well as police and fire monthly retirement checks. To be accurate, the city no longer issues pay checks; city policy requires that all payroll and pension payouts be issued electronically (Electronics Funds Transfers or payments deposited directly into an employee's bank account). The payroll function includes the withholding and payment of insurance premiums, federal, state, and county taxes, pension payments, and union dues. Cathy also prepares annual tax statements (W-2 forms).

Sheila Boone, Assistant to the Controller
sboone@emichigancity.com

Sheila audits all claims and invoices before they are paid. She is also responsible for maintaining the city's fixed assets program. Sheila serves as the department's receptionist and collects fines, issues dog and cat licenses, tree contractor registrations, and municipal coach passes.