(Radio Iowa) – A special investigation by the state auditor’s office has identified 100-thousand dollars worth of questionable transactions handled by the former clerk of an eastern Iowa town. Amber Bell was the city clerk in Atkins for nearly five and a half years. She resigned in late 2020 after the Atkins City Council raised concerns about city finances and placed her on administrative leave. State Auditor Rob Sand says auditors found Bell paid herself more than authorized and used the city’s credit card to buy personal items and pay for a manicure.

The special investigation identified more than 51-thousand dollars of improper spending and auditors could not find receipts or documents for another 21-thousand dollars worth of transactions. Nearly 28-thousand dollars worth for utility payments were either not collected or not billed according to the state auditor’s special investigation.