Jasper County Democrat, Volume 9, Number 44, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 February 1907 — REPORT IS HERE ! [ARTICLE]

REPORT IS HERE !

But Nothing Sensational Is Shown. A FEW APPARENT DISCREPANCIES But Nothing Glaring, and a Lot of Good Honey Is Paid For Several Neatly Type-Written Sheets of Paper. The long-looked-for report of the Indiana Audit Co., employed to andit the books of the city treasurer, has at last “arrove.” It came by mail Wednesday and is a neat piece of type-written work, embossed with the company’s card, encased with tan-colored paper cover and is tied with regular St. Patrick’s day silk ribbon. There are two “books” of the report, one setting out the financial report and one of recommendation for a system of bookkeeping hereafter. The report shows the operating expenses of the light and plant for the fiscal year ending Aug. 31, 1906, only, as follows: LIGHT, WATER. Revenue re- Revenue received $13,873.72 ceived . 33.362.51 Expenses 7,031.13 Expenses . 3,332,34 Net profit Net profit for year $6,848.59 for year $30,17

The above does not include natural depreciation of plant, which reduces the above figures soma $4,000/ A lot of recommendations and surmises are contained in this part of the report, which is the principal part of the same. A list of .all the water and light delinquents is given, showing light delinquencies of $643.11 and water delinquencies of $816.03. Many of these have been paid or were cut out and had not been given the proper entry od the books, while some, like the Rensselaer Castle Hall association and several others, are N. G.

The indebtedness of the city is given as follows: Water and light mortgage bonds!(33,ooo Water bonds (regular) 9,600 School bonds 6.000 Electric light improvement 3.355 Total $51,955 There is an apparent discrepancy of $8,05 dne the the cityfrom ex-Treasurer James H. Chapman and $68.50 from Clerk Morlan. Of the latter amount the clerk has the treasurer’s receipts for a part of this sum which is charged against him and they will get together and check over the amounts, and whatever is due the city they will pay, The discrepancies seem to be clerical errors simply. The report is, of course, quite voluminous, but its real value to the taxpayers is, we believe, very little. The regular audit of the books could have been made by local accountants for probably SSO, and the suggestions as to new methods of keeping the books are only what any good bookkeeper would suggest. A special meeting of the council was held Wednesday night to consider the report and a committee was appointed to consider the suggestions made for a system of keeping the books in the future. The experts have not filed a bill as yet for the balance for their services. At the regular meeting of the council Monday night nothing was done outside allowing the regular grist of claims.