Wadsworth City Auditor to retire after nearly 14 years in office

WADSWORTH — Wadsworth City Auditor Catherine Fix will retire at the end of June after nearly 14 years in office, with the Medina County Republican Party set to appoint someone to complete the remainder of her term. Fix, a certified public accountant who has served as city auditor since 2012, said she is most proud of the service-oriented approach she and her staff have brought to the position. "My motto, and I hope my department believes it too, is that we're here to serve the residents, Council and the administration, that's our highest priority," Fix said. During her tenure, the city's finance office earned the Ohio Auditor of State Award with Distinction for nine consecutive years. "I have a really great staff and one of our highest priorities is compliance and staying up to date on the best practices," she said. Mayor Robin Laubaugh praised Fix's leadership and the accomplishments of her department, citing the city's recent renewal of its AA+ rating from Standard & Poor's. "She's been a wonderful auditor over the years and has done much for the city to make sure that our finances are in good order and that they're well accounted for," Laubaugh said. Fix said that she hopes her successor will have a strong financial background and preferably hold a CPA license. "I'm hopeful that it's going to be a CPA because there's audit experience and requirements as a CPA that I think are important to the job, but consistency and being there to serve others is No. 1," Fix said. Laubaugh said she expects the transition to be smooth due to the experience of the finance department staff and the cross-training implemented under Fix's leadership. Since Fix is an elected Republican official, the Medina County Republican Party Central Committee will appoint someone to fill the remainder of her term, which runs through Dec. 31, 2027. After the term, the appointed individual would need to run for election in 2027 to continue serving. Applicants must be registered voters residing in Wadsworth and affiliated with the Republican Party. Although financial credentials are not legally required, experience in auditing, payroll, income tax administration, or accounting would be beneficial, Laubaugh said. Fix noted that the position has an annual salary of $112,000. As she prepares to leave office, Fix said that the most meaningful part of the job has been the day-to-day work of supporting residents and city leaders. "Just being here on a daily basis and supporting the administration, council, or whomever. We're here, and we're doing our jobs," she said. Contact reporter Sam Russ at (330) 491-6962 or sruss@medina-gazette.com.