The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1905-07-11

fninq the duties of the Finance Com
nFitfee saws that all matters concern.
ing me receipt and disbursements OF
nsonies BIZ the city shall be REFERRED
- this committee unless otherWise
ordered by a two-thirds vote oil the
council. Section OF the same fesoiu,
ton saws: 1T shall be the duty OF
such committee" to examine ana
audit ali accounts against the city
and approve or disapprove the same.
I have not been able to ma Where
these matters have been otherwise
ordered by a two-thirds vote OF the
council and hence | am compellea tO
conclude that the Finance Commlttee
has been grossly derelict OF duty.
Not one o. the vouchers in these
exhibits has bcea approved or disap
proved By the said committee, al
though the Comptroller stated In THIS
Council that the finance Committee
had approved them and gave that as
his excuse for eountersigning the war
rants for them.
l instructed the Clerk TO find me a
voucher that showed that 1t had been
approved b. the Finance Committee
and he failed to 90 so. In addition 10
these exhibits have personally ex
amined 27S vouchers that have been
paid and there was only one approved
by the Finance Committee and tha'
was approved by a Mr.. Stearns who
had rendered the bill and had eVi
IDENTIFY got his signature for receipt
in the wrong place. If the Finance
Committee has approved or disapproE
ed a single account, during the past
two years, as provided in the SAID
resolution | have not been able to
find it.
Section 90 of the City Charter makes
it the duty of the Comptroller to keep
the city books and accounts and to see
under the direction of the Finance
Committee of the Council that proper
rules and regulations are observed IN
relation to all accounts, settlements
and reports connected with the fscal
concerns of the city; and that no IL
ability is incurred or expenditure made
from the treasury without due author
ity Of law"
1t appears from the exhibits and
from many other vouchers examined
that the Comptroller has been grossly
disregarnful of his duty in drawing
warrants for divers accounts when
the same have not been property ap
proved for payment.
Section q of the City Charter makes
it the duty of the Mayor TO exercise
a general supervision over all the ex
ecutfve and ministerial officers of the
city and to see that their official du
l[ties are honestly performed" II
would appear from these exhibits that
the Mayor has been disregardiul oil
his duty in allowing the business OF
the city to be transacted in such q
loose, slipshod manner. During my
life / have had access to the books OF
great many business concerns but
have never seen any that have the
loose appearance of the records OF
this city. | cannot refrain from saying
that it has come to my knowledge that
! the Comptroller has repeatedly drawn
warrants for bills that.have already
been paid, and the payments of some
of these warrants have been stopped
since my advent into the Office of
Mayor
The City Charter makes it the duty
Of the Treasurer to keep a set of books
and the Code of Ordinances provides
that THE Council shall supply the
Treasurer with the necessary books
to keep such records" yet it has come
to my knowledge during the past three
days that this city has no record of
its former TTeasurers, and Treasurer
Daley informs me that no records
were turned over to MIN but simply
establishments of money belonging
to certain funds.
These show that the fiscal records
anu affairs of our city have been kept
in decidedly bad shape for which
there seems to be no suitable word
but rotten" Therefore, / recon-
mend:
First-The appointment of a compe-
tent committee to examine and
straighten, as far as possible, the
books and accounts of the city.
Second-The reconsideration of the
motion disappearing the action of the
Mayor In the removal of the Comp
troller.
Respectfully submitted,
CHAS. II. BLISS,
Tulv IN 1QCE aTo,..