St. Mary Aldermen Table Chamber’s Offer To Pay Fees For Treasurer

The St. Mary Board of Aldermen held off on taking action on a proposal from the St. Mary Chamber of Commerce to cover the cost of an outside city treasurer.

The board last month passed a budget for fiscal year 2020, which began on October 1, that eliminated the $2,700 annual cost of having HSB Advisors, LLC, of Ste. Genevieve serve as city treasurer. City manager David Woods, recently promoted from city clerk, was given those duties.

Mayor Gloria Bader brought forth the proposal to the board in new business.

“One person doing it all — the audit didn’t like it either,” Bader said, referencing audits of the city that recommended the separation of duties for better oversight of city finances.

Alderman Brian Helms mentioned that former city clerk JoAnn Donze handled treasurer duties.

“I think the chamber is the chamber and the city is the city,” Helms said, “and we operate the city as aldermen, and it should be our decision. I know it’s nice to have an offer from the chamber to pay, but the chamber doesn’t run the city.

“I think JoAnn Donze was a trusted clerk and did a good job. I think David is above-board and trusted. … I would think that we want to run our city ourself and I’d like to see us do that.”

Helms said the auditor did not have an issue with Donze handling treasurer chores for 20-something years “so I don’t see why they would not like it all of a sudden.”

See complete story in the November 20 edition of the Herald.