After attending several financial committee meetings and council meetings in Walsenburg, it puzzled me that we have two financial officers. The financial administrator is hired and given a substantial salary with benefits; and the treasurer is elected and given a very small stipend and little else as far as benefits, office, or tools. The last time I asked, the elected treasurer had no online access to the bank accounts.
The Treasurer of Walsenburg pledged at the last council meeting to begin working on a reconciled financial statement to present for her report. This is difficult without online access to accounts. When asked about the duplicity of having two treasurers, the city administrator said that the statutory type of government Walsenburg has requires a treasury official to be elected.
It seems that to have an elected treasurer gives more accountability to the electorate. Maybe a plan could be formulated to combine duties of both financial offices into one elected office with a salary and benefits. An elected treasurer should be educated in government accrual accounting and have all the access and tools necessary to provide a clear and concise financial report.
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