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County finance director is on board
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By Charlie Warner
Argus News Editor
“I’m impressed with the county board, and the way county government is conducted here. I was used to a 10-person city council that was very structured. At my previous position, the city council had to form committees for everything. The committees would report to the council, and most issues took at least one more meeting before things were approved. It’s much more ‘hands off’ here. I think this is a much more efficient way of doing things.”
That’s the way newly-hired County Financial Director Casey Bradley summed up his initial impressions of Houston County government. Bradley was hired as the county’s first financial director earlier this fall. The county board decided to create the position this past summer to help with the ever-increasing financial and accounting issues and requirements handed down by the state and federal governments.
Bradley served as the accounting manager for the city of Monroe, Wis. for the last two years. He grew up in New Lisbon, Wis. and served in the U.S. Air Force for six years. He received a double undergraduate degree from Park University in finance and human resources and a double graduate degree from the Keller Graduate School of Management in accounting and financial management.
He and his wife Katie, who grew up in the Brownsville area, have three children, and now live in La Crescent.
Bradley said he is excited about the new position in Houston County, and noted it does bring many challenges.
“It’s going to take a little while to understand just how the county operates, and with this new position, what the expectations are,” Bradley noted. “I will have to familiarize myself with how the state wants things done, verses the way they were conducted in Wisconsin. The reporting of finances is certainly different from one state to the other. And,” he added with a smile, “it’s going to take a little while to become familiar with all the faces here at the courthouse.”
Bradley acknowledged he is coming into the Houston County mix during a very busy time. The 2009 budget is being hammered out, the second portion of property taxes are due this week, the county recently purchased the Meyer Furniture Store building (which Bradley will have a hand in organizing), the county is developing plans for a new highway department headquarters, and then there’s the proposed criminal justice center.
“There’s a lot going on in this county right now,” Bradley admitted. “There will be some real challenges with this job. But I guess I’d rather have it this way. I like challenges.”
For now, Bradley’s office is located in the Human Services Department in the court house.
You can contact Charlie Warner at
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