POCAHONTAS COUNTY AUDITOR
99 Court Square, Suite 7
Pocahontas, IA 50574
[Get Directions]
Mon-Fri: 8:00 am - 4:00 pm
Phone: 712-335-3361
Fax: 712-335-4502
Click below to view form/document.
About the Department
Department Duties
In Pocahontas County, the Auditor's office is responsible for:
- Conducts voter registrations and elections
- Keeps maps and records of property ownership
- Calculates property taxes
- Pay the county's bills
- Process cigarette licenses & beer and liquor permits for unincorporated areas of the county
- Clerk to the Board of Supervisors
- Prepares and maintains county budgets
- Handles county payroll and personnel matters
- Reports on county finances to the Iowa Department of Revenue and the Department of Management
- Compiles budget data from all jurisdictions that levy property taxes within the county
- Oversees courthouse maintenance
- Drainage Clerk
- Custodian of all county records
- Passport Acceptance Facility
The Auditor may accept petitions, register complaints, or act on routine business in the absence of the Board. The Auditor often prepares Board meeting agendas, notifies the media, attends all Board meetings, keeps and records Board meeting minutes, and publishes the proceedings in the official County newspapers. The Auditor initiates bid notices, solicits proposals for County contracts for materials and services, and receives contract proposals. Official papers dealing with Board of Supervisors’ business are referenced and maintained by the Auditor. County Ordinances are prepared, published, recorded, and maintained by the County Auditor.
Budget Central
The Auditor’s Office is considered Budget Central for all government entities including Schools, Cities, Townships, Agricultural Extension, County Hospitals, Emergency Management Agency, E911 Service Board, and County Assessor file their completed budgets with the Auditor. These budgets, which include the tax asking for each entity, are reviewed by the County Auditor and then submitted to the State Department of Management. After the Board of Supervisors hold a public hearing on their budget, the Auditor also files the certified County Budget with the State Department of Management.
County Tax Accountant
The Auditor tabulates the taxable valuations for each property owner in the county. After applying the proper exemptions, homestead and military credits, roll backs and other adjustments to the assessed valuations certified by the Assessor’s Office, the Auditor certifies the “taxable” valuation of the county to the State. This computation creates the tax rate from which each taxpayer’s statement is prepared. After the State returns the certified tax rates for the above-mentioned taxing entities in the County, the Auditor becomes the County Tax Accountant and applies these tax rates to the taxable valuation of each property and then prepares a tax list showing each taxpayer’s share of the total governmental tax asking. These figures are then certified to the County Treasurer’s Office for collection.
County Financial Officer
As the county’s Financial Officer, the Auditor completes a “State of the County” Financial Report at the end of each fiscal year, which is a Revenue vs. Expenditure report showing available cash reserves. Based on this report and budgets for the current year, the Auditor disburses all county funds. Claims for payment for all services and materials rendered and charged to the various county departments are submitted to this office for payment. The Auditor is responsible for “auditing” all claims and keeping a complete record of each transaction. It is the Auditor’s responsibility to make sure that the departments do not exceed the budget appropriation approved by the Board of Supervisors.
Passport Applications are By Appointment Only, Monday-Friday 8:30am-3:00pm. Contact the Auditor’s Office to schedule an appointment.
Current Routine Processing of Passport Applications are 8-11 Weeks from the Day an Application is Received.
Current Expedited Processing of Passport Applications are 5-7 Weeks from the Day an Application is Received. Expediting an application is an additional $60 fee, you can also pay for optional two-way overnight mail for an additional fee.
For more information, please visit travel.state.gov.
AUDITOR:
Kelly Jepsen
OFFICE STAFF:
Kristi Seiler
Laura Erickson
Bryan Rahn