The Dearborn Heights Comptroller's Office is in the financial backbone of the city. In the comptroller's office we take care of the debits and credits of the city.

We are in charge of the following:

Accounts receivable:
The treasurer's office submits a daily cash report with a cash total for each fund. We keep track of why the money has come into the city and credit the appropriate accounts.

Accounts Payable:
The Comptroller's office, through its purchasing division analyzes all invoices that come into the city and pay them from the appropriate accounts. All checks issued from the city of Dearborn Heights originate from the comptroller's office. Each invoice is to the treasurer's office for a final examination before it is released to the vender.

Purchasing Division:
Every item that is ordered from the city of Dearborn Heights should have a purchase order related to it. When a department needs something to help run its department, they requisition the item on a special form. When we receive the requisition form, we make sure that it has the correct vendor for the purchase and that the item being purchased is within the limits of the budget. If everything is in order, then we issue a purchase order for the item.

Payroll:
The city currently has approximately 320 full time employees and about 100 part time employees. The comptroller's office is in charge of running payroll on a bi-weekly basis. We keep track of all money earned by the employee, as well as, all taxes and all other deductions for the employee. We also keep track of all time off that a full time employee takes such as sick days, vacation time, personal days, and paid holidays.

Budgets:
In January of each year, the comptroller's office along with the other department, starts its general fund budgeting process. This process will request from all departments the amount of money that is needed to fulfill that departments needs for the coming fiscal year. Each department will request time with the mayor and comptrollers to review their cases on why they need the money for the budget. When all departments are reviewed by the mayor and comptroller, budget cuts start. The city of Dearborn Heights has to have a balanced budget. We check our anticipated revenues for the next fiscal year and then compare that to all the departments needs for expenditures for the next fiscal year. In the beginning, we are always out of balance and have each department review their own department and have them cut out any un-necessary items. The comptroller then re-reviews all revenues and expenditures and checks if we are in balance at that time. If we are still out of balance, the mayor and the comptroller slash the budget to get it into balance. Per city charter, this balanced budget must be submitted to the city council by April 1st of every year. At this time the city council reviews the budget again with the departments and gives their approval of the needs for the next fiscal year. Per charter, the council must adopt the city's general fund budget by the first Monday in June of Every Year.

The comptroller's office is a very complex piece of the city. We are the only department that does not deal with the public. We are more than an inter-departmental department. Dealing with all of the other departments.

Respectfully,

Donald S. Barrow
Comptroller