Salt Lake Telegram | 1936-05-08 | Page 1 | County Auditor is Praised, Others Criticized in Report

County Auditor Is Praised Others Criticized in Report Surplus of Shown Bonded Debt Is 18 Per Cent of Legal Limit Praise for the county auditors auditor's work but criticism of other phases of handling the county's counts fiscal affairs was expressed in a special special special cial audit of Salt Lake county's books submitted to the county commissioners Friday Compiled by the accounting firm of Beesle Beesley Wood Co the audit showed a surplus of as of December 31 1935 conforming to the penny with the amount reported to the commissioners earlier by Count County Auditor Ferrell H. H Adams The he b bonded n 1 d Indebtedness nd was shown as only 18 per cent of the limit allowed by law which sets 2 per cent of the assessed valuation valuation tion i as the tho debt limit Indebtedness Reduced By virtue of the surplus the In Indebtedness Indebtedness indebtedness in- in has been further reduced since the first of the year to the audit shows As it ft now stands the debt is the lowest since 1919 the audit points out The accounts receivable also are the lowest in Uin many years which the audit says is due along with the low indebtedness to Uto the splendid work of the auditors auditor's of of- fice The auditor also is commended for setting up a budget system that prorates the annual budget quarterly quarter quarter- quarter quarter-I ly thus permitting better control of expenditures I Collection of interest from banks where the county has has' funds on deposit deposit deposit de de- de- de posit Is commented on unfavorably Interest Is Problem The matter of collection of ot Interest Interest Interest In In- terest on daily balances has become a problem to county officials the audit continues The treasurer within limits has collected 1 per cent on balances but butis butis butis is being persuaded by the banks to keep them down Interest on the latter half hal of 1935 was collected by bythe bythe bythe the assessor and county clerk but these offices have been unable to collect from the banks for the first half hal of 1936 Other offices have received nothing It It is our opinion interest revenues revenues revenues reve reve- In 1936 will be much less than anticipated As 3 the payment of In Interest Interest interest in- in terest on deposits deposits' of public funds is as mandatory under the law the banks should be required to pay where they have not done so Criticism is expressed also of the manner in which surety bonds are handled pointing out that it is the practice of the county to pay premiums premiums prem prem- lums on bonds In the treasurers treasurer's office As Ks the only surety bond premiums prem authorized by our statutes to tobe tobe tobe be paid out of county funds arc are the tho treasurers treasurer's and a assessors assessor and andas as the deputies' deputies bonds run to the treasurer and not to the county giving the county no more protection protection protection tion we doubt very much the propriety propriety propriety pro pro- of such expenditures the audit says Fines Pities Also Criticised Handling of ot fines by justices of the peace also comes in for ques ques- tion Many Instances occur where Imposition imposition Im im- un- un position of a fine is recorded but no Information Is given as to whether the fine was ever paid re remitted remitted remitted re- re or what was finally done Inthe in inthe inthe the matter This condition exists in a a. f few of the justice courts and andIn andIn andIn In such cases it is impossible to reconcile the fines which should have been collected by the justice as per his docket with his remittances remittances remit remit- lances to the county treasurer The county commission arranged a conference with Ray Wood of the accounting firm for 2 p. p m. m Monday Monday Mon Men day when the audit will be further discussed before formal acceptance