 |
YELLOW SHEET Office of the State Auditor of Missouri |
December 28, 2001
Report No. 2001-120
IMPORTANT:� This report contains information about the
abolishment of township government in Wright County.� This report discusses the sequence of events leading to the abolishment
of the township, the procedures followed during the abolishment, and the issues
facing Wright County in the future as a result of the abolishment of the
township organization form of government.
On April 3, 2001 Wright County voters approved the
abolishment of the township form of government.� As a result, township officials were required by law to turn over
records and title to all property to the county.� In addition, all outstanding township debt became liabilities of
the county.
Wright County received $339,703 from township bank
accounts and became responsible for paying more than $89,000 in township
liabilities.� Township road equipment and
other personal and real property were turned over to Wright County as required
by law.
Problems were identified with townships� legal compliance
and record keeping; including several townships failed to file annual financial
reports with the State Auditor�s Office, some township records were incomplete,
and some financial transactions of townships appeared questionable.
Prior to the abolishment, individual townships were
primarily responsible for maintaining 650 miles of county roads.� Subsequently, such responsibility for road
maintenance is now with the county.� As
township tax levies were eliminated by the abolishment, the Wright County
Commission reviewed various ways to obtain funding and on November 6, 2001
Wright County voters passed a one-half cent sales tax to fund county road
improvements.
