(Radio Iowa) – A special investigation by the state auditor’s office of accounts from the City of Delhi in northeast Iowa has found thousands of dollars worth of questionable and improper spending. State Auditor Rob Sand says it amounts to over 80-thousand dollars. “For the city of Delhi, that’s about $400 per household. This was largely money under the control of Lori Tucker, the former city clerk there,” Sand said. “Two-thirds of the improper disbursements were in the form of excess wages, unused vacation, longevity payments and (for) a Health…Savings Account.”

The investigation found a former maintenance worker got about 13-thousand dollars in excess payments for health benefits as well. Sand says auditors found receipts for about 475 dollars worth of purchases with Delhi’s credit card for improper expenses, like food and clothing.  “Another $6500 in credit card purchases could not be supported at all,” Sand says. “This is another example of why it is so important for government entities to have policies in place and procedures in place that allow for and encourage proper oversight of your tax dollars. It’s also important that then they follow these policies and procedures to try to help minimize the risk of things like this happening.”

The special investigation of Delhi’s finances during Tucker’s tenure as city clerk has been forwarded to law enforcement. Tucker resigned as Delhi’s city clerk in January of 2022. Sand says one day the following month, Tucker was back in city hall. “We’re unable to determine what exactly was going on…There were conversations and things happening inside the city clerk’s office, but no camera in that location specifically,” Sand said. “We do know that Mrs. Tucker used the City of Delhi computer to update files for the city 48 times and we also know that when she departed, the computer had been encrypted with software that would wipe all the data from it if someone tried to access the computer.”

The state auditor says as of today (Tuesday), it’s his understanding that Lori Tucker is still the city clerk in Ryan and Sand says his office is nearly done with its investigation of the city finances in Ryan.