(Spencer)– City officials in Spencer say they’ve addressed findings of a special investigation into the city’s finances by the State Auditor’s Office.
The special audit uncovered nearly $39,000 in undeposited landfill fees and $7,000 in improper disbursements that occurred between January 1st , 2018, and June 30th, 2024. A former city Finance Assistant was fired on June 14th, 2024 after city officials discovered the discrepancies. The City Manager at the time, Dan Gifford, contacted the State Auditor’s Office in July, 2024, requesting a full, independent investigation.
Current City Manager Kevin Robinson says in response to the findings of that report, the city of Spencer has implemented new internal controls to ensure all landfill fee collections are properly tracked and that a process has been established to ensure revenue from landfill charges and dumpster fees reach the city’s bank account. Robinson says the city is also now segregating financial duties to ensure no single person has sole control over collecting and recording funds. He says stricter reviews of city payroll records, leave entitlements and new credit card policies are also now in place to ensure expenditures are properly supported and serve a public purpose.
Robinson says copies of the special audit report have been forwarded to the Clay County Sheriff’s Office and the Clay County Attorney’s Office “to ensure full legal accountability”. You can read the full report by clicking here.
