Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-07-06
ADDITIONAL MOLINE
SUPPLIES BOUGHT
IN IMPROPER way
Pratt Auditing Company Sub
mits Report and Urges Ad-
herence to System.
EASTMAN IN EXPLANATION
Says Department. Is Too Big to Carry
Out System ExactIy-other
Offices Do Well.

| in the city of Moline in transactlng
business. and of the laxity OF fee Off
GERS in turning over fees collected to
the city treasury at the proper time,
featured the report received by the
city commission this morning from the
Pratt Auditing company of Peoria,
which recently completed an annual
audit of all departments of Moline s
city government.
The report covered the IL months
! ending March 81, 1914. Few errors
were found and the auditing company
appended to its report the statement
that the books in the Office of the COM
missioner of finance and accounts were
kept in a most satisfactory manner.
Department Criticized.
The criticizm of the department of
health and safety was for failure to
purchase supplies through the proper
channels. All purchases are supposed
TO be made on a requisition signed by
Commissioner Anderson of the depart
ment of accounts and finances. The
auditing company had the following to
report in connection with this matter:
I'VE strongly recommend that there
be no deviation from the excellent sys-
tenn provided for the purchase of all
material and supplies needed by the
city departments upon proper requisi-
ton and orders through the purchas-
ing department. We find that all de-
partments except one, this department
being the health and safety, have been
purchasing their supplies properly ac-
cording to this system, and that all
their bills bear the proper evidence of
receipt of material and supplies and
the purchase number order. We find
that the department of health and safe
ty has been a frequent yiolator of the
rules for purchases, and that they have
been throughout the year purchasing
much of their material and supplies
directly without the issue of proper or
der, either before or after purchase,
and without issuing acquisitions upon
the purchasing department. We know
of no good reason why this department
should not secure its material and sup
plies through this department.
Money Held Back
When we were auditing the &C
counts of the chief of police we find
that his books showed that he owed the
city of Moline S1.142.25, as stated
March 81. When we asked him where
this money was, belonging to the city,
he stated to our auditor that he had
paid to Commissioner Eastman the
sum of S915.S7, and that of this amount
he held a receipt for S392.32 from the
commissioner of accounts and finances
during the month of April, 1914, and
stated that he was to be allowed the
balance during the month of May, sup
posedly by the payment of this balance
of S523.55 to Commissioner johnson.
Why should he have paid the money to
anyone but Commissioner Johnson in
the first place and why, when paid to
Commissioner Eastman, did he not i'm
mediately pay it over to the city treas
urer through Commissioner johnson?
Again. when this dog tax money is paid
to the chief of police, why should he
retain any part of it during the year |
Or particularly after March 31?"
Eastman in an Explanation.
After the meeting of the commission |
his morning, Commissioner Eastman |
explained the report as follows:
1t has been the custom of the chief |
of police to retain the dog tax money
until the end of the year and to then |
urn 1t over to the city. This year, I'M
expenses were incurred and
lie advanced the money to the city
rom the dog tax fund. After April l
mis- was returned to him so that his
accounts balance. He paid for the fur.
llshing OF the jail from this fund and
or the expense incurred in moving
rom the old station to the new build
ng and for which no appropriation had
'een made. Patrolman Thomas Kear-
ley, we found, was entitled to a pen
ion and S420 was paid to him from
his fund, to save an emergency an
being made
Il have tried to make the depart
nent comply with the system of DUR
masses, but have been unable to do so.
everything that l have done person
lily mas been done according to the
ystem- In the fire department par
lcuIarly. however, the men have fire.
uentiy needed something in a hurry
nd have purchased it in a hurry with
ut taking time to secure the proper
equisitfon. This has also been done
the police department-for example,
'hen a new tire is needed for the pa
roland as this is not provided for by
ny appropriation we have taken the
mount from the fund on hand do
ot believe that this department will
yer be able to follow this system ex-
city, the main reason being that il is
DO big department.
laxity Of Fee Officers. ,
In regard to the laxity OF fee officers ]
turning over their funds to the city I
the proper time. the auditing com /
any said:
Attention is called to the fact that (
ees OF certain offices are not paid TO c
ne city treasury promptly at the close
each fiscal year. We show this In [
Us report and have shown II In pre- S
ious reports. the amount of fees due G
he city from these Offices. The amount I
such fees should be deter mined C. a