South St. Louis County News

St. Louis Call Newspapers

South St. Louis County News

St. Louis Call Newspapers

South St. Louis County News

St. Louis Call Newspapers

Grantwood trustees debate where to keep village records

Lack of security at village hall reason treasurer retains records, Kienstra says

Some of Grantwood Village’s financial records have been kept in the treasurer’s possession in the past, but Village Clerk Will Larson would like all records to remain at town hall.

During a Board of Trustees meeting last week, Larson cited section 120.030 of the village ordinances, which states, “No person shall remove original public records from the office of the village or its custodian without written permission of the designated custodian.”

“It seems pretty cut and dry,” Larson said. “As the village clerk, I would be the custodian, and I see no reason why we need to remove these (records) from village hall. Keep them here. Keep the copies with the treasurer, as it should be, per ordinance.”

Grantwood Village Treasurer Kevin Kelso objected to Larson’s request. Kelso told the board his intent is not to give up receipts until they “go to the accountant and then come back so they don’t get misplaced, and they don’t get lost.”

“I don’t want the invoices to be misplaced so that I come back and don’t have a bill paid at the end of the month …,” Kelso said. “I don’t feel confident in Mr. Larson to make sure that I get these bills …”

Larson said Kelso and he “just need to work together” on the issue. However, Kelso said they do not need to work together, but rather, Larson needs to do his part.

Section A of village ordinance 120.030 states village records “shall be kept in the custody of the village clerk.”

However, in the section that details trustee responsibilities, the treasurer is required to “collect, receive and safely keep all monies, warrants, bonds and other property belonging to the village and entrusted to his/her care.”

Village Attorney Rich Magee said there is “a bit of tension” within the ordinance.

“The village clerk has a broad authority over the records and the treasurer has a specific authority over certain records,” Magee said.

Chairman Mark Kienstra told the board because “village hall is not really secure,” precedent has been that the treasurer retained “some of the original records” until they were turned over to the village’s certified public accountant for review.

The village keeps all the records in the village hall that it can, according to Kienstra, with the exception being “as we get invoices and we write checks.”

“We don’t have a safe. As a matter of fact, we don’t even have a room we can lock,” Kienstra said. “So any time there’s someone in the village hall, we have no way to safeguard them. And generally the precedent has been with the financial records only, not with the contracts, or anything else.”

Copies of invoices would be kept at the village hall, according to Kienstra.

“If the treasurer has a safe at home or something like that, those records are more secure both from fiscal theft and from things like fire than they would be if they were just kept here …,” he said.

Resident Jan Muraski asked if it would be beneficial for the village to purchase a fireproof safe.

“Anybody’s home can catch on fire. Anybody’s home can be broken into … So keeping it at your home doesn’t make it any safer,” Muraski said.

Resident Genny Webelhuth suggested the “most important room” in village hall have a deadbolt installed on the door.

“I don’t think that would be too expensive, and I think that would help make the town hall more secure,” Webelhuth said.

Kienstra told the Call discussion about improving security is a “continuous conversation.”

Magee said he understands the tension in the ordinance but said he views safety as the top priority.

“Until the safety of the records can be assured, I would personally advise the board to lean toward the safekeeping of the records, wherever that might be,” Magee said.

Kienstra said he would like to “err on the side of keeping the records secure.”

“As far as the originals are concerned, I don’t know that we’re fulfilling our responsibility to keep originals in the building … If we had a good safe, it would be a different story …,” he said.

Additionally, Kienstra said it is important from a financial standpoint that original records be given to the CPA at the end of the year because “originals are considered more reliable.”

However, Public Works Commissioner Walter Rust, who works as an auditor for the state, said the Department of Revenue accepts copies and electronic files.

Kienstra said village officials can talk to their CPA to get his perspective on original documents versus copies.

On a trial basis, Larson will collect original invoices from the village hall, make copies for Kelso and Larson will retain the original invoices.

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