City of Clever Doesn’t Always Live Up to Its Name

Accounting-wise at least, that is.

The News-Leader, a local newspaper for the city of Clever, Mo., reported earlier this week that a state auditor found a lack of accounting controls in Clever, and that lack of oversight could have cost the Clever citizens thousands of dollars in the past few years.

“State Auditor Susan Montee revealed several issues regarding lax accounting controls, improper procedures and questionable practices by city officials, specifically city clerks,” wrote reporter Tara Muck.

Those questionable practices included a clerk who was caught stealing $42,394 from the city coffers between 2006 and 2007. Not only that, but the audit also turned up missing funds in water and sewer deposits, and court cash receipts.

Perhaps it’s a little unfair to poke fun at the city just because of its name. At any rate, the good citizens of Clever are no doubt a lot wiser as to what’s going on in their city now that they’ve done an audit.