Coshocton County Auditor Christine Sycks awarded Outstanding County Auditor Award
Pictured in front row from left are Jinni Bowman, Jetta Mencer, Lindsay McCullough, Nicole Medley, Sue McInerney, Jackie Opphile-Jackson; Back row: Danna Callahan, Donna Burkart, Jarrod Tipton, Chris Sycks, Kyle Lowe; Not pictured from staff are Amy Finton, Wes Tubbs, Dustin Gregory.
COSHOCTON – Christine “Chris” Sycks has been a familiar face in the county auditor’s office for the past 32 years, serving since 2012 as the county auditor. On Thursday, Nov. 16, Sycks was recognized for all her hard work she has done not only for her office, but also for the county during the annual County Auditors Association of Ohio banquet at the Embassy Suites in Dublin, Ohio.
Sycks was named Outstanding County Auditor for 2017 and received the prestigious Richard J. Makowski Award.
“It’s a great award because you’re nominated by your peers,” said Sycks. “All county auditors are asked every year to nominate a county auditor they’d like to see get the award. Those nominations are then voted on by the state officers.”
The Richard J. Makowski Award is named after former Geauga County auditor and CAAO president, Richard Makowski who was a hard worker who never gave up on a worthy cause and could always find a way to bring people together to accomplish the impossible. The individual who receives this award each year exemplifies these same qualities.
“I suspected when the director called and went through great pains to make sure I was going to be there at the banquet,” said Sycks. “I asked my staff and my daughter if they knew anything about it, but they were all good about keeping the secret. It was really nice because they were all there to see me get the award.”
Sycks has received two Distinguished County Auditor awards in the past based on continued education. Each county auditor is required to have 24 hours of continuing education each term, but the award is for those who go above and beyond with more than 100 hours of continued education each term. So far this term, Sycks has logged more than 188 hours of continued education.
“Our association provides continued education that qualifies for the 24 hour required education,” said Sycks. “Twenty-four hours of continued education is required in the Ohio Revised Code, and if you attend all of their presentations, you get 24 hours easily. But I try to go to any presentation I think will benefit this office.”
Sycks was appointed to county auditor on Jan. 1, 2012, elected to the unexpired term in November of that year, and then re-elected in 2014. She also recently earned an associate’s degree in accounting from Central Ohio Technical College.
“I’m honored but also really shocked it was me that was chosen,” she said about getting the award. “I would not have nominated myself. A lot of county auditors have been in office longer than I have and do a lot of good things for the organization. It’s a different kind of award because it’s from your peers and that makes it special.”
Sycks acts as the chief fiscal officer and the chief assessor for the county. She is the pay master, making sure bills are paid, reviewing bills, and is responsible for financial reports to the state and the GAAP report. She is also responsible for having a fair market value on every parcel in the county for tax purposes and calculates tax property. Her office also offers other services such as dog tags and Sycks is the weights and measures sealer for the county.
“One reason I’m so involved with the legislative process is because it seems like all the laws they think are a good idea in Columbus effect my office directly,” said Sycks. “One of my challenges is keeping up with the law changes because it seems like every day is something different. It’s never boring. I can say that.”
Prior to being appointed as county auditor, Sycks worked in the auditor’s office since 1980 and was hired by Maurice Spike Kanuckle. She served under three auditors and an interim auditor during that time. Before taking her appointment as auditor, she did every other job in the office except personal property and state tax.
“I like the job and I like to learn, and if I got caught up on my job, I would ask other people in the office if they needed help and that’s how I learned, and it paid off,” said Sycks.
However, Sycks has no power to actually audit anything.
“Auditor is a misnomer,” she said. “I don’t actually audit anything. I don’t have the power to go in to any business and ask to see their books and audit anything.”
She is thankful that she works in a job she loves with such great people.
“I work with a great group of people in this office,” she said. “We work well together and they make my job a lot easier. It’s a blessing to be able to get up every day and go to a job I love.”
In the community, Sycks is a member of the Ohio Township Association, Leadership Coshocton County Alumni Council, American Baptist Women, Phi Theta Zeta Chapter of the Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society, Warsaw Lion’s Club and past president, Write-On Writer’s Guild, and National Wild Turkey Federation. She is a long-time active member of the First Baptist Church in Coshocton and has two grown children, Joel and Kimberly.
Category: Government
