The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1899-08-25
City Treasurer.

The city treasurer statement of re-
ceipts and disbursements is hereto at
tached and marked Exhibit Z.
The city treasurer's duties are to re-
ceive all monies including license money
and fines, and keep accurate and de-
tailed accounts thereof in such a man
ner as the council shall from time to
time direct. He is required to exhibit
to the council twenty days before the
annual election, or sooner if required, a
detailed account of the receipts and ex-
penditures of his Office since his last an
nual report. Shall also report all
monies in his hands and such account
shall be filed with the city recorder. l
find that the treasurer has been in the
habit of filing report each month
showing the receipts and expenditures
of his Office, l find no record requiring
this to be done on the record of the
council, but presume it was done. 1t is
evident that the treasurer thought he
was required to keep the funds drawn
upon separate, as he has book provid-
ed for that purpose, but in crediting
these funds with monies received from
time to time of the county treasurer.
The amounts so received have been
credited to the funds most in need with
out regard to the fund for which said
monies were collected.
In nearly every instance the interest
fund has received its entire credit on
receipt of the second installment from
the county treasurer.
The result of these arbitrary credits
is to show an entirely erroneous condi-
ton of the funds of the city.
do not know as it makes very much
difference in what state the fund &C
counts are when the treasury is depict
ed, but in order to show the uselessness
of keeping the accounts in funds on the
treasurers books, | make the .compari-
son. If the city was doing strictly
cash business, the treasurer and re-
corder could keep their funds account
in unison, but where the treasurer
charges the payment of notes to the
current fund and the recorder charges
the same payment to bills payable. In
instance of permanent improvements
the recorder would charge the order to
such i'm proven ent account and the
treasure to the fund from which he
paid the money, The result is appar-
ent, that the two accounts would be at
varience until the close of the year
when transfers would have to be made
to equalize the accounts.
The result of this system for the year
1898 is shown in the two reports at.
tached to this report, and marked ex-
hibits and s. being the treasurer's re-
port and the recorders statement of the
city accounts. By reference to these
reports you will find that the treasurer
reports $27, 722 40 in the current fund
whilethe recorder reported an overdraft
of S12, 534.43 difference of over $40,
10000
The road fund on the treasurer's re-
port shows an overdraft of S15, 460,95,
while the recorder shows S13, 731 80,
difference of about Zoo.
The waterworks fund shows credit
of 81, 3S0.0S on the recorders books, and
the treasurer reports but $1.62.
The sinking fund shows credit on
the recorders books of 81, 436.13, and
the treasurer has no account of this
kind, whatever. There has been no &C
count on the treasurers books with this
fund since 1898, at which time there
was placed to the credit of this account
the surplus in the treasury at that time
of some $4,000, which was afterwards
used to pay.railway bonds.
The interest fund on the treasurer's
report shows an overdraft of S1,695.86,
and the recorders record shows an
overdraft of So. 587.11.
The sinking fund is overdrawn with
the recorders 81, 1873 90, while the treas
urers oyerdraft is but 1896 TO-
The park fund on two accounts diff
fer but $134. co. and the cash on hand of
$91.90 is the same on both records.
The recorders account is the correct
one as to the condition of these various
funds. the total net overdraft of which
is some $28, 1896.
The bills payable account of $57, 728. Oh
which represents the floating indebted
ness of the city is the account which in |
a great measure represents these over |
drawn funds, and until tax levy is |
made for the purpose, or some other |
means provided to pay this indebted
ness the accounts will have to stand |
charged as overdrafts to the several |
funds.
The amount due from the county
on the tar levy nf 1898 has largely