Newark leader. ([Newark, Ohio]) 1917-1946, 1918-01-05
Finds Fault with
Safety Department


to his sudvey of the safety depart
ment of the city.
After review of the importance
of this office in an official and fnan-
cial way, he finds that the office, i'm
p6rtant as it is, does not keep a
cash book. Entries of receipts are
made only in it's minute books. He
advises the use of a cash book so
the records may be completely and
accurately kept.
The director, he says, files no
monthly report with the auditor, as
provided for and required by Section
1886 of the General Code of Ohio.
These monthly reports are, under
the law, due to be filed as stated, on
the first Monday in each month. He
finds that the director, in his official
capacity, revises all of the city's pur-
chases and the approval of certain
claims. He has not always properly
itemized them, they should be COM
plete.
He finds that the total receipts in
1916 were $51,658.54 and disburse-
ments were $53,048.86. In 1916 total
receipts were $62, ,544.2O and total dis
bursements were $62,931.10. In the
part of 1917 reported on Jan. 1, to
May 5 there were a total of receipts
$29,999.10 and total disbursements of
$21, 1,69O.30.
There were a total Of time loans
to the city by the banks in the time
inspected of $22,5OO, all of which
were paid with the interest $373,41.
With the action of the council the
department has paid delayed claims
and vouchers which he says is a
loose method. The department
should notify all holders of vouchers
to cash them in before the first of
the year. 1t is wrong to let them run
over and pay from the contingent"
fund.
The policemen of the city, he says,
are allowed each a day off in a
month and Is days vacation each
year. He recounts the buildings of
the police system of the city and finds
that the old city prison is unsanitary
and very hard to keep clean. 1t was
erected in 1874 and the city has out
grown it. 1t is high time, he says,
that it should be modernized to meet
the needs of this city. The keeper
of the city prison is paid 13 1-3 cts.
for each meal furnished a prisoner
and during the time covered by this
audit there has been paid $6,177,85,
a period of a little over two years.
1t is greatly in excess, he says, of
similar bills paid by cities the size
of Newark or cities one half larger
than Newark.
The total disbursements in the
police department for 1915 were
$23,O71,32; for 1916 $21,685.75 and
the part of 1917 $6,981.05.
He notes a number of erroneous
payments the aggregate of them is
small, less than so in the total, but
he censures the safety department for
it's failure to properly verify the
claims presented. There is no excuse,
he says, for the safety department
in it's failure to audit all bills before
sending them to the auditing depart
ment for payment. A claim for
travelling expenses was paid the chief
of police, while in pursuit of an ac-
cused person. He says that such bills
are not to be paid. He finds some
small over payments to officers and
office help, but he says the chief of
police gave a satisfactory explana-
tion in each. They should be avoided
in the future. He deprecates the
loose policy of sometimes paying
police and other officers in advance.
The city auditor has no right, he
says, to pay policemen for overtime,
but it must be settled by giving them
time off.
He refers to the murder of officer
Walter Boscowen, July 1, 1915. The
city paid total of $501.23 for med
ical, surgical and nurse charges.
1t is not in conformity of law, but
it may be looked over in the light OF
the fact that the officer lost his life
in an attempt to protect the good
order of the city. On account OF
the great advantage to the city OF
good police force Mr.. Heck says
that each member of the department
should keep himself above possible
reproach.
The books of the fire department
he says, are neatly and accurately
kept. 1t is very important that the
time book should be very clear anC
accurate. He says that a municipa
fireman is paid for the time he is OF