The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1909-04-09
FLAWS IN A REPORT
CITY TREAURER TAKES EXCEP.
TON TO STATEMENTS.
Severity Criticises the Robinson Docu-
ment and Hands Him a Hot
Roast; Declares the Deputies Were
Honest Having Handled Large
Sums and Accounts Verify to a
Cent; Fefers to 0verpay in Office

To The Free Press: wish to
make a few statements in regard TO
William j. Robinson's report to the
city council, as regards the city treas
urers office. Mr. Robinson goes on
to say, that the bank balances were
verified with certificates received from
the various banks. The office cash
was verified by actual count. Then
he goes on to say: IL believe the treas
urer's record shows the correct amount
of receipts and disbursements, but be-
You'd this they are of but little
value. The clerks that have been
employed during the past six years
were evidently wlally incompetent and
my investigation was considerably de-
layed on account of the inability or
Discrimination of the present bookkeeper
to bring the work down to March l,
1909. No one is to be found who can
tell anything about the details of the
accounts supposed to be kept in this
office and it would appear that people
must often be seriously Inconvenience
| i'll consequence.
| want to say that at the end of
every month there has been a report
| of the city treasurer's account i'll full,
handed to the council and filed in the
recorders office, and Mr.. Hodapp said
! in his article he could verify the city
treasurer's account in thirty monutes
i'll his office. These reports were on
! file in the recorders office to March ],
1909. What more did he want? If
there is any blame attached to the
deputy treasurer not conceding to his
demands, | am free to say, | told her
not to make any reports to him, but
give him the books and other papers
that he might want to verify his re-
port, from the very fact that her
report would not be his report.
Handled Large Sum.
After all he has said to belittle my
deputies, Miss Gertrude Durkee and
Miss Mae Bennett, who have been
raised i'll your city and you all know
them; after they have handled in the
last four years in the neighborhood of
six hundred thousand dollars and their
accounts have been verified to cent
| think they are entitled to a vote of
thanks from the people of Mankato
rather than this write-up from this
incompetent person, who goes on
to say: "Under the charter the
salary expenditure for the treas
urer's office is limited to $500 per
year. yet it appears to be a regular
custom to spend from $40 to $25 more
each year for this purpose. These
payments have been authorized by the
council and approved by the mayor,
yet l believe them to be illegal"
|. If this man Robinson knew his bust
ness he would never have made that
statement The fact of the matter is
the city charter specifies that the
treaslrer's office shall be open from
10 to II and from 2 to 4 and | think
all the city officers will agree with
me that these hours have been kept
very prompt
| Outside of these hours the time is
hers and she has been employed by
the board of public works in type
writing their reports to the city coun
ell and other matters outside of her
duties as city deputy treasurer and
has been paid for her services which
explains the overdrawing of her salary.
Why. does he not go further, as Miss
Durkee has for the last year been
Keeping the books for Senator Works,
going there at eight o'clock and work
ing until ten o'clock, going again at
four o'colck and working until six
O'Clock and Mr.. Works has paid her
for this service? Why does he not
go to Mr.. Works and find out now
much he has paid her and charge this
up as surplus salary? One account
would be just as legitimate as the
other, as far as the city treasurer's
salary is concerned l only speak of
these things to show the people the
unreliability of your experts report