Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1903-09-16
FORMER Administration of City of Willmar is
Found $5,35O.17 Short in Clerks
Accounts and Records
RECORDS JUGCLED and MISLEADING OR MISSING.
No Entry Made Clerks Books For Period of Ten Months Dur
ing l90.-he Year of Much Revenue. Electric
Supplies Not Accounted For.

Accounted For.
The deposits were S37 ,251. So, a short.
age of So, 795.04. During ten months
OF that year the clerk failed to keep
any record of his official transactions
In regard to this the report says in
part:
''The books and records for ten
months of this year were not to be
found. A diligent search was made
by the clerk and myself for such rec.
ords without success, and it became
necessary to obtain the receipts from
way." "Bv a fortnna mate ate
circumstance the superintendent of the
water and light department had pre-.
served his record for installment and
labor during this period. It was in
diminutive form on pocket memoranda
but sufficient for the purpose and en-.
abled me to obtain complete an &C.
curate record of all the installment
and labor for the ten months referred
to. In order to obtain the sales OF
fixtures, which for some reason, were
handled exclusively by the recorder,
l resOrted to the invoices of the Glib
son Gas Company and in nearly all
instances the name of purchaser, and
the amount charged, was penciled on
the bill. The payments for same we're
usually made when goods were de-
livered and by comparing the amounts
with the deposit slips obtained at
0f k>
secure very complete record of such
sales and collections. -
Another interesting circumstance re-
garding the financial transactions OF
this year is related in Mr.. Donald.
sons report as follows:
"a further evidenced of discrepancy in
this report is shown in the deposits
of 81 200 to water and light fund and
$500 to general fund, made on the last
day of the fiscal year. An apparent
intent to cover into the treasury suf-
fcient funds to meet the face of the
report. The chairman of the finance
committee gave me the following in
''that when it was first brought to him
for approval it showed a shortage OF
81, 1929, that the committee demanded
the amount made good before the
treasurer's report was handed in to
the council, that on the same day the
recorder raised 81, 500, for the purpose
and this accounts for the two deposits
made on the last day of the hsca1
year, that he promised to turn over
his past due salary as collector,
which, together with certain bills paid
by him for freights and expenses
would cover the balance of 1898 20.
Under these conditions the committee
approved of the report.' I could no,
find however that any bills we're turned
in to cover this shortage, nor did he
convert his salary to the purpose.
On the contrary the warrant was paid
in cash and the shortage still remains
and is part of the amount reported
at close of this report
In the year 19O2-O3 the accounts o1
the recorder and treasurer balance.
The net amount of the shortage found
by Mr.. Donaldson is $5,350.17. In
commenting upon the shortage in sale
of supplies, Mr.. Donaldson makes
this statement:
clamps were given away and nc
record kept of the purchases. The
reports each year showed a constantly
increasing number of water and liG61
consumers, and still the amount 81
sales was reported at less than one.
third of the purchases, to say nothing
of the cost of wiring. I find no record
0f tho council oLiro f0r or- ;~fou,,o
alton on any of this, which, to me
seemed glaring inconsistencies"
The whole report consists of a
closely typewriter sheets and will
probably cover nearly two pages of q
newspaper.
Mr.. Donaldson makes q number o1
suggestions. Among others may be
mentioned:
A thorough revision of charter.
Abolishing four justice courts and
establishing municipal court.
Abolishing the poll tax and enforc.
ing the dog tax. The dog tax records
are the subject Of some sarcastic re.
marks. -@. -.
3 Amendment of method of collecting
special assessments, so that they be
collected by city treasurer.
To check up by house to house can
vass, at least once in three years,
consumers of city water. .-'e-'
An adjustment of prices of labor,
materials and service in the munich
pal light and water service.
The finance committees during the
years examined were as follows, the
first one mentioned in each case being
the chairman. ..-<c : q =.
1898-'99-H. J. Ramsett, r. Ziese.
mer, r. Spicer. = =
1s99-'oo-W. T. Markhus, G. W.
Tyler, J. A. Hedin. .aa...= 5.:... il.
& 1900 '01-W. T. Markhus, G. w.
Tyler, J. A. Hedin. s,szzs...@S /.
- So - = ~a