The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1900-04-13
RECORDERS REPORT.
Mr.. Williams Makes Some Re.
concentrations.
He Suggests That Purchasing Com
mittee be Appointed to Pass on
all Purchases.

In his annual report. presented to
the council Friday, City Recorder
Williams outlines the financial opera
tions of the city during the year ending
Mar Oh 31st, 1900 He refers to the in
experience of the aldermen, mayor and
himself in municipal administrative
duties at the beginning of the year, and
the peculiar financial condition that
presented itself. He says
1T has been said that the business
of this corporation should be transact
ed as one would transact his private
bust ness. This, to my mind, is clearly
erroneous. We have law by which
we are working, which is supposed to
lay down certain lines along which the
business is to be transacted.
1T has also been said that our law is
faulty. Be that as it may, it seems to
me that we are bound.to abide by it un-
til such time as the people see fit to
make needed changes
Referring to the system of accounts
pursued for several years prior to the
year just ended, he says that it was. as
he understands, inaugurated by Gen.
Pope. Regarding this he says
Under the system referred to it has
been the custom for the recorder to
place the amounts levied to the credit
of the different funds under date of the
tax levy, and at once commence
to issue orders upon said amounts,
no actual money being received
by the treasurer from that levy
until date of March following. One of
the peculiar conditions above referred
to, is the fact that the city's accounts
have been so handled that we are using
the monies levied for the purpose of
covering last years expenditures to pay
this years bills. If some plan could
be devised which would enable us to
use and place the monies as contem-
plated by the law it would certainly
prove in very short time whether or
not the law could be followed with sue,
cess. X
1.-THE law gives the common council
power to issue short time bonds to an
extent not exceeding one-third of the
taxes levied and in anticipation of the
levy as made, the intention being, as
sumo, to realize money upon these
bonds which then, and not until then,
should be placed to the credit of the
funds. The public examiner, however.
does not agree with me upon this point.
This procedure seems to have been
almost entirely disregarded, as can be
seen from the fact that when the
present administration assumed power
we were confronted with floating in
debtedness of s57, 1913 03, represented by
notes in regular form issued in the
name of the city, and in no case do the
notes state the purpose, or the tax levy
for which they were issued.
During the past year, notes to the
amount of $1O,740 haye been paid, S..
244 80 of said amount having been
covered By the sinking fund commits
sion, upon advice of the city attorney.
Mr.. Williams states that the amounts
placed to the credit of the several
funds during the past year were not
absolutely according to the tax levies
made. He refers to the arbitrary plac-
ing to the credit of the interest fund
of a. $50, and So. 428 % to the credit of
the current fund, to meet exigencies of
the situation. Continuing, he says:
From the November settlement the
money was properly distributed as per
levy, and since that time there has been
little or no trouble in covering the ex-
penses in the different departments,
and if the monies are properly distri-
buted to the several funds and the
council will work within the levy, there
can be no question but that no, friction
will result.
The tax levy, gentlemen, seems to
me to be the key to the situation, and
if it had not been adhered to in the
past, we certainly should not have been
confronted with a heavy and alleged
unauthorized floating debit
1t having been the custom of the re-
corder to place the balances on hand in
the different funds to the credit of the
sinking fund. after deducting amounts
already appropriated for the amount
due during the fiscal year, Mr.. Viii.
liams asked for an opinion from the
city attorney on this point. City At
torney Daley replied:
you should place to the credit of
the sinking fund:
First. The surplus remaining in the
| treasury at the end of the fiscal year,
from the funds levied for the payment
of interest or principal on the out.
standing bonds of the citv after the