Georges Township auditors review discrepancies
GEORGES TWP. – The township auditors said that while they found some discrepancies when they closed the township’s financial books for 2001, they acknowledged that no money was taken. During a meeting with the supervisors Friday, the auditors said they found that the beginning balance was different from the one reported by Smithfield State Bank as of Dec. 31, 2001. The computer printout balance sheet that was given to the auditors showed a $145,381.81 balance, $12,000 off the amount reported by the bank.
“Before we go any further, I want you to know that we know all the money is here, that nothing was taken. We just don’t know how to get to it,” said auditor Donnie Rhodes.
Township Secretary-Treasurer Linda Smith explained that when she entered the financial figures into the new computer at the beginning of the year, the accounting system kept rejecting some of the numbers, while others were accepted. The firm that installed the computer and software later discovered that the computer didn’t have enough memory to support the accounting software.
At the same time, Auditor Ethel Roby had contacted the state auditor general’s office and helped set up additional support for Smith, but that assistance led the auditors to discover another discrepancy. When re-establishing the bookwork in March, the state representative suggested that Smith get acquainted with the program by using rounded numbers so she could better check the results, so the $63,082.71 due to Smithfield Bank for loans showed up in the end report as the trial number of $60,000, according to Smith.
She said she doesn’t expect any more problems, now that the previous issues have been resolved and she has better learned how to use the system. In fact, she said the program will be a great time-saver.
When the auditors raised questions about pay stubs for township employees not being accurate, Smith and the supervisors all explained that the minor amounts that were underpaid or overpaid in the first few months were all accounted for and later balanced out once the problem was discovered.
“All of these things were from before we got the computer fixed,” Smith said.
In another area of their report, the auditors argued that they need to review the pensions for the supervisors and Smith, but the supervisors disagreed.
Supervisor Mike Bartock said the auditors didn’t need to see printouts from the pension fund, because as auditors they set the rate and read over all of the canceled checks that go into the account.
Auditor Lloyd Moser countered that since township policy allows the supervisors to withhold all or a portion of a departing supervisor-roadmaster’s pension if that person fails to leave in good standing, the auditors have a right to review the pensions.
“If you have control over it, we need to see it and know exactly how much is there to perform a complete audit,” Moser said.
Regarding benefits, the auditors questioned why the supervisors didn’t receive the same health and life insurance benefits as the employees, since both packages were purchased at the same cost through the Teamsters union. The supervisors explained that they weren’t union men and didn’t pay dues, so they didn’t get the same packages.
Also, both parties agreed on changing the amounts the township charges for building permits to a flat-rate system. The supervisors agreed to look into a system similar to the one employed by the county.
Before concluding, the auditors said they were upset that the supervisors hadn’t taken into consideration the suggestions they put forward in January.
Some of those recommendations included the following: the township’s name should be placed on all of its trucks; the supervisors should keep an accurate log book of work performed, including the location and amount of materials used; all checks should be signed at the supervisors’ meetings; the supervisors should meet in the evening, for the convenience of residents; the supervisors should rectify errors with the cable company, the township should create an inventory list for insurance purposes; and phones should be available for workers at all times.
“We are not their boss. We can make suggestions, but they don’t have to take them. All we can do is suggest,” Rhodes said. He added that the taxpayers are the “real bosses of the supervisors” and that changes have to be made through elections.
Supervisor Mark Migyanko said all but one truck has appropriate signs. Bartock added that a missing plow that prompted the inventory and numbering system was reported to the state police and was replaced. The inventory list was generated and given to the insurance company.
As for the phones, the supervisors said that the workers have access to phones and radios but that the phones were on a call-out-only basis.
“We got a lot of complaints from people because they called to talk to a supervisor not a worker. Anyway Linda (Smith) is here as secretary to take calls, and when she isn’t, we have caller ID and an answering service,” Bartock said.
Regarding the cable issue, Supervisor Frank Churby said that as soon as it was brought to their attention that some residents were paying franchise fees to Smithfield Borough or to South Union Township, the supervisors notified the cable company and the charges were removed.
“If some are still getting charged, it’s because we don’t know about it to call the cable company on it,” he said.
As for the other suggestions, Bartock said the supervisors would take them into consideration and decide what is in the best interest of the township.