LITTLE ROCK — Prosecutors are working to remove Helena-West Helena Treasurer Michael Boone from office over allegations that he’s not doing his job.
Court papers filed Thursday in Phillips County Circuit Court’s criminal division say Boone failed to follow Arkansas Municipal Accounting Law by not maintaining receipts, cash-receipt journals and cash-disbursement journals for the city.
Boone also did not provide bank-record reconciliations as required by law for 2007 through 2009, the court papers say.
In addition, prosecutors filed a petition in the civil division to recover more than $18,500 in unauthorized city expenditures from 19 former and current city officials, including Boone and Mayor James Valley.
“This is a result of the 2007, 2008 and 2009 audit that details - according to the audit - the things Michael Boone did not do that he was supposed to do,” Prosecuting Attorney Fletcher Long said.
A state audit released in September found “significant deficiencies” in the city’s finances in 2007, although Valley has accused legislative auditors of being overly aggressive.
The audit cited a failure by the city to keep records mandated under state law, and Long reviewed the audit to see whether criminal prosecution was justified.
Boone did not immediately return a call to his cell phone Thursday afternoon but said last month that he has done what is required by law.
“I have submitted the monthly reconciliation reports, which is required by me by law, to the [City] Council,” Boone said. “I think it’s something personal against me. I really don’t know.”
Last year, eight Helena-West Helena aldermen approached Long and asked him to review Boone’s records and look into removing him from office over allegations the treasurer was not providing financial reports and bank reconciliations each month.
Valley defended the treasurer, saying the criminal charge - which seeks Boone’s removal from office and a fine of between $100 and $1,000 - is politically motivated.
“It’s all political, and the politics of this will run its course,” Valley said.
“The prosecutor is probably under extreme pressure from people in this community to do through the courts what they can’t accomplish at the ballot box. Every bit of this is tied to the November election.”
Aldermen have said they have no idea how much money the city has because they don’t get the monthly reportsfrom Boone. Moreover, they have said, Boone rarely attends City Council meetings.
“He has failed, according to the auditors and the City Council, to do his job that is required by law,” Alderman Larry Wilson said.
“I asked him a long time ago to resign. He doesn’t come to the meetings. We don’t get our financial statements. We’ve never gotten the liabilities of the city since he’s been in office,” he said.
Besides the effort to have Boone removed from office, prosecutors say in the civil complaint that he owes the city $1,878 in unauthorized expenditures. Prosecutors say Valley owes the city $7,066.
Valley said the money prosecutors say he owes was for legitimate city purchases, mostly associated with business travel.
“In some cases the auditors didn’t understand and drew their own conclusions, which I didn’t agree with,” Valley said.
Arkansas, Pages 12 on 06/26/2010