Niles unable to perform 'critical function' after employee moves

NILES

The city treasurer’s office, down to one employee in the wake of the resignation of Janet Rizer-Jones, is unable to fulfill its primary function – reconciling financial statements with bank records, a problem that may continue for several months until one or more employees learn the procedure.

Fiscal supervisors told the Financial Planning and Supervision Commission this week the only employee trained in reconciliation transferred to another department, leaving one untrained worker – the only employee in the office.

Commission chairman Quentin Potter said reconciliation is “a fundamental item” and places the city at risk of noncompliance with its fiscal-emergency recovery plan.

“This is a critical function that has to be taken care of,” Potter said. “We can’t have discussions about release until this happens.”

Niles has been in state-declared fiscal emergency since October 2014.

Fiscal supervisors Tim Lintner and Nita Hendryx told the commission January records have not been reconciled, and the problem is likely to continue for several months even after training is completed. Making matters worse for the city is that there were no provisions made for cross-training so an employee in another department could have stepped in.

Read more about the matter in Saturday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.