The Missouri state auditor’s office said it is receiving inquiries about a possible review of Piney Township financial records.
Spence Jackson, spokesman for State Auditor Thomas Schweich, said Friday auditors have fielded questions about seeking a petition audit of the district that oversees road and bridge repairs in the Houston area. Taxpayers would pick up the tab.
“Every audit is different, and we can’t estimate a cost until we’ve been able to do some preliminary work to determine what we need to look at, how far back in time to go, how much staff it would take and other considerations,” Jackson said. “If they are successful in getting the signatures, we’ll be able to come and get a better sense of what we need to look at. Then we’d be able to provide a cost estimate.”
Under state statute, 318 signatures from Piney Township registered voters — 15 percent of voters in the last gubernatorial election — would be required to seek a petition audit. According to the county clerk’s office, 2,118 Piney Township votes were cast in 2008.
The signatures would be certified by the Texas County clerk’s office.
Piney Township last paid for an independent audit in 2002. Jackson said state law requires every township to compile a financial statement — such as a tally of revenues and expenditures — but state statutes, which date as early as 1909, don’t provide any penalties for those that don’t.