Audit of Clever shows missing money, lack of accountability

An audit of the city of Clever shows thousands of dollars missing from city accounts and a lack of controls, including separation of monetary duties.

State Auditor Susan Montee presented the findings of the state audit, requested by former Gov. Matt Blunt, Tuesday evening at Clever City Hall.

In the audit report, Montee cited multiple instances of lax controls, which led in part to the theft of more than $42,000 in 2006 and 2007. Former City Clerk Julia Keithley was later convicted of felony stealing for writing checks to herself out of city funds.

The audit also identified at least $4,600 that went missing after Keithley left in December 2007 and was replaced by Misti Clinkingbeard, the former assistant city clerk. Clinkingbeard abruptly resigned Feb. 25, 2008, five days after officials with the auditor's office made their initial visit to the city to begin a related audit of the municipal court that was released in mid-2008, according to the report.

Montee said the city did not have adequate segregation of financial duties, receipts are not always issued for money received, some deposits are not timely or complete, and financial records were not always complete or accurate.

The report also said that many payments are made prior to approval by the Board of Aldermen, bids are not always solicited as required by city policy, and some written contracts have not been updated.

In their response to the audit, board members said that many of the recommended changes were made after the 2008 municipal court audit, including improved accounting records. The board noted that the city does not have the funding to hire separate employees for various financial duties, but bank statements are now being initialed to show that multiple people have checked the information.[[In-content Ad]]