Perth Amboy evening news., 1921-04-20
CLAIM NEGLECT
At So. AMb0Y
Report on Audit of City Books
Bring Charges at Meeting
of the Council.
tBy Evening News Correspondent

III aNDo <hpAh -N
where you are. I'm a dangerous
man-cross hat line and you're a
dead one." jokingly remarked Rich
ard f. Carroll in replying to the
heated remarks of former City
Treasurer r. +. Sullivan when Mr..
Carroll submitted the yearly audit
which claims gross neglect and IN
efficiency oil the part OF n city
officials.
In a communication accompanying
the audit Mr.. Carroll made plain in
no uncertain way the conditions as
they exist in the city. He pointed
out in the first instance several err
rors or oversights on the part OF the
Certified Audit Company, h previ-
Gus auditors. He handled each de-
partment separately. The report
charged gross neglect on the part
of the old city collector which was
probably due to lack OF knowledge
| of the laws of New Jersey, inasmuch
as taxes were outstanding since 1914
to the amount of 47.551.72 without
| II effort on the part of the collec-
tor to clear up the city'S books.
OF the tax duplicates he said they
were in very bad condition. The as.
| SCISSORS evidently were not at all
| familiar with real estate judging
from the assessments made in some
sections of the city. The report also
| stated that the duplicates We're not
in proper condition to be a part uf
| the city's record. The writing was
very poor-in fact SO poor that at
times it was difficult to read. AS
evidence of ineficiency the report
stated that men who had been dead
for years were still charged with poll
tax on the books of the city. Prop
erty that had been sold for three and
four years was still charged to the
old and in some instances
the property owners were taxed
twice for the same. property.
The city treasurer was a man
that should have never been given
the position" stated the report. 1t
continued to state that the books
were in very poor condition and
there was a difference in the bank
balance and the book records of the
city amounting to $460.30 which was
probably due to an error in book
keeping.
Each department was given its
attention. The big break came when
Timothy f. Sullivan, the former city
treasurer who IA in the room, rose
to his feet and asked whether the
city was paying for an audit of the
city's books or a private opinion OF
the city officials on the part OF the
auditor. Mr.. Kvist and Mr.. Stockton
demanded order and it was with
difficulty that the meeting continued.
Councilman Lovely offered a mo-
ton that the report be received with
out the personal references con-
tanned in reference to the old city
officials, An amendment to the mo-
ton was made by Councilman Kvist
stating that the law required the
city to have its books audited. III
the auditor made recommendations
such as were contained in the re-
port il was the duty of the city to
receive it and file it and after in
spection by the committee, publish
the report. Mr.. kvist maintained
that the auditor assumed all respon-
sibility for the statements in the re-
port n the city was not RESPONSE
BILE. If Mr.. Sullivan or any of the
other officials had any kicks 1t
was with the auditor and not with
the city council. .
Councilman Stanton thought it
was a mistake to submit a report
such as had been received. He sta
ted that he told the council when
Mr.. Carroll was hired that such
would be the case He maintained
that at the time the work was n
ed out hat he had urged COMPETE
tive bids. Councilman Kvist quick
ly replied to this remark by asking
why the Certified Audit Company
had been given the work the last two
years when in both instances Mr..
Carroll mad handed in a lower bid.
He maintained that the audit cost
the city over $1,000 last year and
when they saw an opportunity to
get the work done for $3.50 they
thought it advisable to save the city
that money.
1t was at this stage of the game
that the floor was given to Mr.. Sui
Ivan and Mr.. Carroll. Mr.. Sullivan
stated hat it was easy to criticize
but harder to construct. He stated
hat he was a successful business
man in this city and very capable to
handle any set of books. He made
the assertion that Mr.. Carroll had
fell down" on the job when he had
failed to file a statement of the city's
account by March /. That's a dam
phool remark" he concluded.
It's my turn now" replied Mr..
Carroll. ~"Evidently Mr.. Sullivan
does not believe figures. The state
ment has not been filed why: be-
cause the books of the city treas
| hltI haNt hOb Dtbii III ~
make such a report and to this day
the books for 1910 have not been
closed. He said that SO far the city
has spent over $1,000 on auditing
and has not received five cents worth
of work. He lay particular stress
on the neglect of the city collector
at this point. He stated hat the
books showed q very rich man on
David street had owed the city con-
siderable axe When payment was
made it was found that no interest
had been charged while in several
instances all about this property, in
terest had been charged. Mr.. Car
roll quoted Mr.. Van Dusen by sta
ting that he had made the state
ment that he had been instructed to
be as easy as possible with the peo-
pie of the city and always tried to
be so. 1t looked as if he had a a V
orite list-if You were on it, no in
terest if not-well it had to be paid"
In replying to Mr.. Stanton's he
marks concerning bidding on the
audit last year he stated that bids
had been received but the work was
not given to the lowest bidder. 1T
was handed out in a canned o n
vention.'" Mr.. Stanton's reply was
well let's wait and see who gets
canned" The matter was finally
brought to a close by laying the
matter over until next week. The
city clerk was instructed to place
the report in the vault under lock
and key and not to be touched by
anyone until the next meeting when
the matter will be thrashed u in
open meeting when the city solicitor