The small town of Alexander straddles Pulaski and Saline Counties with a population of 3,792.
A legislative audit released Nov. 13 for the year 2023 revealed some discrepancies.
According to the audit, the city "did not have adequate internal controls relating to the use of credit cards and other expenditures."
The audit showed disbursements of funds by the city's treasurer
examination of disbursements that did not add up.
- A Council member, who is not an employee of the City, obtained a city credit card in their name. According to the Council member, this card was given to the Police Chief for purchases. From May 2023, when the card was activated, to November 2023, when the card was closed, the City paid $8,018 for purchases made using the card. Of $5,521 in payments examined, $5,057 did not have proper documentation to support a business purpose.
- Other disbursements examined, totaling $4,014, did not have adequate supporting documentation; therefore, the
validity of these transactions could not be determined.
The City, according to audit documents, was not in
compliance with state codes and other accounting procedures as follows:
• Prenumbered receipts were not issued for all funds received.
• Cash receipts journals were not properly posted and reconciled with bank deposits.
• Monthly bank reconciliations were prepared but were not accurate.
• A detailed fixed asset listing was not maintained to include additions, deletions, and a control total.
This wasn't the first time such findings occurred.
In fact, in 2022 auditors found that the mayor, Paul Mitchell, was "overpaid $1,620, and his wages were not taxed from January through September 2022; therefore, $30,780 of his salary was not reported on his IRS Form W-2.
The audit noted that Mitchell’s term ended in December 2022.
The mayor in the 2023 audit is Crystal Herrmann.
Alexander's District Court Clerk received a ping from legislative auditors because "balances remaining in the bank were not identified with receipts issued for cases not yet adjudicated and payments made on all unpaid individual time accounts."
The audit notes it has continued to occur.
The city officials listed in the audit are:
Mayor: Crystal Herrmann Recorder: Sharon Bankhead Treasurer: JoAn Churchill District Court Clerk: Janet Guess Police Chief: Robert Burnett
The Reckoning wrote about Alexander last December.
Suzi Parker
