Others may break law without knowing
Staff writer
Peabody may not be the only city in the county violating KSA 12-1608 by not publishing annual treasurer’s reports.
However, the only third-class city in the county with a big enough budget to require an annual audit, which Peabody was every year since 2016, was warned that the city was breaking the law.
But they are not alone, with a big caveat.
No other third-class city in Marion County has published annual financial reports.
Sannir Arif with the Kansas Department of Administration said there is no way to know whether the towns that did not publish their reports were aware of the Kansas law.
The requirement appears on a calendar his department creates for city clerks and other officials but his office merely records documents submitted and does not have enforcement authority.
If a third-class city has an annual budget of $500,000 or more it must be audited.
Peabody’s budget is at least that big and its auditor discovered the violation year after year.
The other cities have a budget of less than $500,000, so audits were not required.