The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1918-01-08

last evening, devoted considerable
time to the report of the public ex-
aminer,, who recently, completed an
examination of the. city's books, the
first examination for over seven
years and, as q result, George Kirk,
clerk of the water board, was sus-
pended for two weeks, pending q set
tlement of a shortage In the depart
ment as shown on the report.
George Stein, city clerk, was or
dered to explain at the next meeting
of the council discrepancies in his
books which show laxity and do not
account for hundreds of dollars due
the city. rss-r.- -. 49,. ,.
: Alderman Lahr, chairman of the
finance committee, presented the re-
port of the committee to which had
been referred the report of the ex-
aminer. The committee made a par
tial report and will continue later. r
Taking up the report in its rela-
tion to the city clerk, Alderman Lahr
called attention to that paragraph
which states: *,,5' l.-'- .~'.'. r.
!. '.There is shortage of $521.13 be-
tween the warrants issued on this
fund Permanent Improvement sor
the period under at ion 2ad
the amount accounted for by assess
ments.''' g., "A. -. q - r
Taxpayers Lose Heavily.
Mr.. Lahr also called attention to
another paragraph, where the report
of the examiner says in reference to
the city clerks office that approx
mately $5,527.53 'is clear loss to
the city caused by the failure of, the
city clerk and council to include In
the assessment rolls and certificates
to the auditor enough interest char
ges to provide for the payment OF all
interest on indebtedness"
r The portion of the examiners
report referred to are as follows:
PERMANENT IMPROVEMENT
REVOLVING FUND
"This fund, provided for by the
city charter, seems to have been Gre
ated in the year 1906, when bond
issue of $4,000 was created and
credited to that fund in order to ad-
vance money for local improvements.
The purpose of this fund is to pro-
vide money by issuing bonds or Ger.
tificates of indebtedness for the
financing of such local improvements
as are to be repaid by the property
holders. The fund is q trust fund
and in handling the same the city
council is acting as agent for the
property holders concerned. Conse'
quently, this fund cannot be de-
pleted and no part of same can be
used for any other purpose than fol
advancing money for local improve.
ments to be repaid by the property
holders and for the redemption OF
bonds and certificates of interest" -
"By the reconciliation of sched-
ules given Tin exhibit y 1t is dem
opstrated that the revolving fund has
been depleted to the amount of $5,-
411.33, which sum has to be paid by
the city. The cause Of this over
draft is to be found in the handling
of the same fund previous to Feb
ruary /, 1909. Up to that day, war
rants, were drawn against this fund
for $11,166.76, but only $4,494.43
credited for collections, which, to-
gether with tax settlement during
the year 1909, $1,7S7.76, amounts
to $6,282.19. AS shown by exhibits,
credit was given to different assess
ment funds during the years 1909
1910, amounting to $3,213.79, and
in 1910 the balance in these funds,
$3,134.O9, was transferred to the
general fund. Evidently there are
still some uncollected assessments
due from this county for the years
1906-19O8, which are not included
in the balance sheet.
Can't Find $521 -.
"As shown (by schedule j. there
is a shortage Of $521.13 between the
warrants issued on this fund for the
period under examination and the
amount accounted for by assess
ments. From the incomplete records
on file in the city clerks office, 1t
cannot be ascertained whether this
shortage is caused by under-assess-
ments or by collections made not ac-
counted for. Another feature in re-
gard to this fund which is not treat
ed in schedule "J' is the question
of interest on bonds and indebted
ness. No interest has been paid
from this fund from the time of its
creation to date"
$5.527. SO "Clear Loss"
Then follows a rough estimate In
tabular form which shows $5,527.53,
which," continues the report" is q