News : State Auditor Rob Sand Releases a Report on the City of Atkins

Auditor of State Rob Sand today released a report on the City of Atkins for the year ended June 30, 2022.

The City's receipts and disbursements for the year ended June 30, 2022 totaled $4,127,331 and $4,171,701, respectively.

Sand reported sixteen findings related to the receipt and disbursement of taxpayer funds. They are found on pages 42 through 51 of the report below.

The findings address issues such as the lack of segregation of duties, the lack of bank and utility reconciliations, disbursements exceeding budgeted amounts, deficit balances in the Capital Projects and Enterprise, Water Funds and errors in tax increment financing.

Eleven of the sixteen findings discussed above are repeated from the prior year. The City Council has a fiduciary responsibility to provide oversight of the City's operations and financial transactions. Oversight is typically defined as the "watchful and responsible care" a governing body exercises in its fiduciary capacity.

The Auditor finds a conflict of interest in his report citing, Pamela Duball, Library Director and Owner, DP Properties was paid for cleaning services in the amount of $13,058. "The transactions with DP Properties may represent a conflict of interest in accordance with Chapter 331.342(2)(j) of the Code of Iowa since the total transactions were more than $6,000 during the fiscal year and the transactions were not competitively bid," the report states.

Also in the report were several items that the city will need to address.

A copy of this report can be seen by clicking the link below.

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