A State audit of the Taylor County Community of Conway shows there were more than $32,500 in questionable payments made to the former City Clerk. The report released today by State Auditor David Vaudt covers the period October 24th, 2002 through March 8th, 2011. The special investigation was requested by City officials as a result of alleged misappropriations of City funds by former City Clerk Nicole Paul. Vaudt said the special investigation identified $32,575.47 of improper and unsupported disbursements.

Improper disbursements amounting to just under $32,100 include just over $19,900 worth of payroll and reimbursements issued to Nicole Paul. The improper disbursements also include slightly more than $4,000 in checks Paul allegedly issued from the City’s checking account for cash and money orders, nearly $7,500 worth of checks issued for other improper disbursements, and almost $673 worth of late fees. The unsupported disbursements of approximately $491 were payments issued to various vendors.

Vaudt reported it was not possible to determine if additional amounts were improperly disbursed or if any collections were not properly deposited because adequate records for disbursements and receipts were not available. The report includes recommendations to strengthen the City’s internal controls and overall operations, such as improving segregation of duties, performing bank reconciliations, requiring adequate documentation to support disbursements and performing an independent review of bank statements.

In addition, Vaudt recommended all disbursements be approved by the City Council and the City adopt a policy for purchases which may not meet the test of public purpose, such as flowers and bakery items. Copies of the report have been filed with the Taylor County Attorney’s Office, the Attorney General’s Office, the Taylor County Sheriff’s Office and the Division of Criminal Investigation.

Police Officers in Shenandoah deployed a Taser against a man this (Wednesday) morning, after he allegedly became combative. The Shenandoah P-D says 28-year-old Seth Rogers was arrested on a charge of interference with official acts, in connection with an alleged disturbance in the 300 block of South Iowa Street. 

Authorities say when Rogers allegedly became combative with Officers Steve Mather and Nephi Jones, Mather deployed his Taser, and soon after took Rogers into custody. He  was released from custody after posting $300 bond.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) – Bedbugs have been sharing space with two students who live in a dorm room at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.   Ashleigh Auman told Lincoln television station KLKN that she and her roommate noticed the bugs when they returned to their ninth-floor room from winter break. The women reported the bugs to university officials after the roommate was bitten on her arms and legs.  Some bedbugs were found in a cork board. 

The Abel Hall dorm is home to hundreds of students, so officials have been taking precautions against the bedbugs spreading elsewhere. Exterminators have been called in, clothes and bedding have been washed and mattresses exchanged. In June bedbugs turned up in a laboratory used as office space by the university’s College of Engineering.

Most Iowans aren’t usually eager to attack the task of doing their taxes, but as of yesterday (Tuesday), the Internal Revenue Service was accepting electronically filed returns for the first time in the new year. People who are due a large refund are usually the first to zap in their returns and I-R-S spokesman Christopher Miller says e-filing is growing in popularity. “In fact, in Iowa, well over three-quarters of people last year e-filed their returns,” Miller says. “That leads the country and we expect that kind of a trend to continue.” Many Iowans may make a trip to the office supply store to buy that big box of tax preparation software but he says they really don’t need to do that.

Miller says, “You can go to IRS.gov and electronically file your return for free using the same type of tax software that these providers are using and letting 70% of the people across the country use through this system called Free File.” If filling out the federal tax forms is something you’d rather avoid as long as possible, you’ll have longer to procrastinate this year.

“April 15th falls on a weekend, a Sunday,” Miller says. “The following day, Monday, might be a good day to do it but it’s Emancipation Day in the District of Columbia and that particular holiday has the same impact as federal holidays on tax days.” Miller says federal tax deadline day won’t arrive until April 17th, which is two days later than usual. For answers to your other taxing questions, visit IRS.gov. 

(Matt Kelley/Radio Iowa)