Gunnison news-champion., 1922-12-29
M'W|Ll|hMS OPENS v|TROL|C
ATTACK ON commissioners
(continusd from First Pass)

- 1A1O AA8 "a o1<0o4N.s ~ s~so.~-
oraesv- therefor. cannot dtceAto 4
the Board What they shall do or mol
TO do. Ny only power 10 70 sit BY ant
make q true and complete record ol
their transactions.
The long anticipated report Of Gets
beck K Company, special audieors en-
ployed by the County Commissioner
10 audit the books Of the County
Clerk. and to overlook any details
that might compljcate matters for the
Commissioners. has finally come tc
light and Il now On file In my office
open TO inspection by the public.
Needless to say that since the audi
tors were employed by the Commis
sioners, special effort has been made
in the report to whitewash these
worthy gentlemen and to make IL ap
pear that the Clerk has been at fault
wherever real, or seemingly iscrep
arty has occurred. While the auditors
mention with apologies) Mr.. Whal-
ems expense account OF One Hundred
Dollars (Sl00.Oo) per month while re
siding in Denver. practically nothing
else worth considering is further men
toned In regards to the Irregularities
OF the Commissioners actions in con.
nection with County affairs.
Auditors contention that the County
Clerk drew on County funds for
personal account
Any account the County Clerk may
have with bankers is merely per
sonal AFFAIR. the County Clerk Is not
necessarily required TO carry bank
INK account. he Is not necessarily re-
Quired to deposit County funds In any
l... L.. .ftsas tn In a
make the necessary accounting to the
County Treasurer. in any manner that
riay be convenient, and in the event
OF failure to do so his bondsmen are
responsible There is nothing In the
statutes preventing the County Clerk
from drawing on any account that he
may have In any bank. either for per
eonal obligations or to pay obligations
due the County.
Auditors claim that bills have been
psseed through the Commissioners
without being properly aeknowt-
lodged or signed
The County Clerk admits that this
has been the general custom with the
present Board. to pass such described
bills. this was done at the option OF
the Board. the Clerk has no control
over inc ectAOnS Vi thc SoscSso"'
ers.
consentien Of the Auditers that the
Clerk was dealing In warrants
During the summer q great many
men were employed by the County ON
road work. When leaving the employ
OF the County 1t frequently happened
that It was inconvenient for those en-
ployees TO wait until the Commission
ers met In order to receive their pay.
In these instances the Clerk would
have said employees assign their
wages TO him. whereon, he would Is
sue to them q check on available funds
In. his possession, these funds con-
sisted Of available fees. collections
from other Counties. etc. at the next
ensuing meeting the Commissioners
would issue to the Clerk warrants to
the amount of the assigned vouchers
in his possession. in lieu Of the cash
he had paid out. 1t Is true that coll
lections from outside were temporarily
held. these collections were held for
the purpose above described. Freight
bills and other items that require Inn
mediate Attention are handled In the
same manner. this custom has been
practiced In this ONCE for years past.
Why the grievance at this late day? :?
The Implication Of the Auditors that
the Clerk was dealing in warrants for
his own direct benefit Is q deliberate
lie. , The Clerk was merely assuming.
temporarily, an obligation Of the
County, In behalf Of the Board Of
County Commissioners. The Commits
siouen were well aware Of this trans
action. otherwise. they would not have
approved the assigned vouchers. A
furd should be created by the Com
miskiones for the purpose Of cashing
such described vouchers. than, the
Clerk would not be required to with
hold funds for the purpose.
Auditors report County Clerk Issues
and pays bills TO himself
Any intelligent person In the least
familiar with County Affairs knows
that No voucher or bill can be allowed.
nor can a warrant be issued without
the. signature and approval OF the
chairman Of the Board The conten-
ton OF the Auditors that the Clerk
paid bills to himself. without the
knowledge or approval Of the Chair
man, merely demonstrates that there
Is : faw somewhere In the certificate
Of qualifications Of these hired assas-
sing II II was ever my experience to
become Chairman would never admit
thar l fell asleep on the job and
signed bill without knowing It, Any
bill. for expense that the Clerk has
presented. and has received payment
for was endorsed BY the Chairman OF
the. Board, and such bills was ut the
time Of approval inspected BY the
County Attorney who invariably sits
m ct IN nceting4-
Auottofs eta1m t1nat No MI hao bosH
sUN6sRed aoa1He1 Hine6ase County
- reed vesiebeEo Me-. 1G0ezee
Tho 6tnte HighNay Department re-
6Dusoo1 0uzm1Gn C0uny the tOeal
amoa12 of tAe66 yooEAers some
months go This work was done n
der w1naI = akAeun = satA1n1nistsa-