By Mary Kronholm
BLANDFORD– The former tax collector’s work has come under scrutiny and it was clearly stated Monday night that no evidence of wrongdoing has been found. Tax Collector June Masse gave a report to selectmen about the turnover report on her office records from previous collector LeeAnn Thompson. This report (from Massee) is simply “Here is where I am.”
“Right now, we have a rough understanding of where we are,” said Chairman of Selectmen Rob Nichols.
During Masse’s report, Dale Miller asked Massee, “On the audit, there was no evidence of wrongdoing by the previous tax collector?”
Massee replied that it was not up to her to determine that.
By way of clarification, indicating that it was not in the purview of the collector, Nichols told her, “Let’s be clear. A CPA [Certified Public Accountant], by law, would have to report something unlawful.”
He added, hitting the desk with his fist for emphasis, “Josephine Sarnelli [the independent auditor] did not find one illegal thing during all of her examinations. And, Melanson and Heath [Town Auditors] in all the years” that they have been auditing, “did not find anything that the tax collector’s office did that was unethical, unlawful or illegal.”
Tax Collector June Massee also gave an update on her accounts. There are some “unlocated” funds, according to Massee. These funds are checks or money orders that prove tax bills have been paid, but not credited to property owners’ accounts. Massee said that the numbers “to date are better than $29,000.”
She said, in a prepared statement, “There is however a system of checks and balances that was not being used. We brought Softright in and they have helped us work through the procedures. As long as it is used by the tax collector, treasurer Water Department and Town Accountant these checks and balances should put the Town of Blandford on the right track.”
She provided a spreadsheet indicating the $29,748 of proof of payment. There are more coming, she said.
Also, an additional $891 in non-credited motor vehicle excise taxes.
She also cited problems coming up from attorneys regarding the taxes paid/unpaid of property sales with which they are involved and municipal lien certificates.
There are a number examples of “mis-posted” taxpayer issues, and taxes paid but checks not cleared. There are individuals and banks indicating payments missing and not cashed. Then, the taxpayers who claim they never received demand notices when they owed back taxes; which in several cases have already been paid. Many people did not know there were delinquent taxes. The new tax bills stated that there are “delinquencies” and there are some errors with that. She will check with the software company to figure out why the data came up as it did.
The final comment regarded $4,579.68 in unlocated cash funds according to the independent auditor’s report for the end of FY 2011. This represented one taxpayer’s multiple years’ payments in cash.
The finance officers are using the system of checks and balances.
In addition, Massee told the board that there will be only one major bank account for the town for all deposits. “This will actually put the town back on good footing,” she said.
The board motioned that the treasurer use only one account for all deposits per recommendation of the Department of Revenue; the motion carried. All transfers will go into one account which will make tracking easier.
Selectman Bill Levakis asked if there was more documentation regarding cashed checks.
Chairman Nichols said for clarification, when someone paid taxes, somehow, through the software, the payment does not show on the town’s electronic records. The checks provided do show the bank clearing dates and numbers.
Masse said when the software changed from Point to Softright, the auditor checked postings and in both sets of software, information was correct. However, she added that if the records in Point were not updated, then the records in the new software were not updated either.
Chairman Nichols reviewed the audit process and said it is a requirement that the finance officials reconcile monthly. Selectman Brennan said, “This should have been happening right along.”
Nichols said the board would have to take the responsibility for enforcing the regular reconciliation.
Dale Miller asked about where the funds came from, which packet/batch of checks. Massee said that “Batches are gone.” She suggested that the break-ins to the former collector’s office may have some impact. She is not able to locate documentation, but according to Nichols, there are still paperwork in many locations as a result of the move from the old town offices.
With the assistance of Point, batches were viewed, and the information was also successfully transferred to Software.
“Something was not put into the system,” Nichols said acknowledging where the town is now.
He noted that Melanson and Heath would be coming in soon and asked the rest of the board to consider a change, and perhaps ask for a new group of people, a new team “fresh to Blandford.”
Levakis said that the firm has the same regulations to follow.
