State audit finds former Promise City clerk misspent almost $57,000, paid herself double what she was owed
A former city clerk in a southern Iowa town, population 110, misused almost $57,000in municipal funds, including paying herself nearly twice what she was owed, according to a report from the Iowa State Auditor.
Debra Eccleston should have earned between $125 and $200 monthly as a part-time clerk for the Wayne County's Promise City from February 2012 to July 2020.
From September 2013 and July 2020, Eccleston should have been paid $13,483 for her work for the city, according to the audit. Instead she was paid $26,694.59.
Eccleston also incorrectly calculated payroll withholdings for another part-time public works employee, the audit said.
In an interview, State Auditor Rob Sand said that, like many small towns, Promise City's elected officials did not provide very much oversight over city employees.
"Promise City is a small town. In lots of small towns, checks and balances are a little bit complicated because there's only so many people there and on top of that only so many people involved," Sand said. "So, it's not an excuse but it makes the opportunities a little bit easier to come by for those that are willing to do this kind of thing."
Promise City Mayor Brenda DeVore and Wayne County Attorney Alan Wilson could not be reached for comment or did not return a Des Moines Register request for comment.
The city's primary revenue sources are a local option sales tax, a road use tax and property taxes. Eccleston was authorized to purchase office supplies.
Between Sept. 3, 2013, and April 2, 2020, Eccleston made eight authorized purchases from Walmart, according to the audit. But Eccleston also made more than $17,000 in personal purchases from Walmart during that period, according to the audit.
Eccleston and another woman run the Hungry Cow at The Book Barn, a book store and café in Centerville. Many of the purchases from Walmart included books and food, according to the audit. City checks were issued to Walmart to purchase pet supplies, a prescription, beauty items, a toaster, accent rugs and other household goods, the audit said.
"Promise City does not have a public library and there would be no need for Ms. Eccleston to purchase books, food, or tags for the city," the audit said.
The former clerk improperly spent about $2,000 on things like credit card bills, internet bills and produce at a Centerville grocery store, the audit found. The audit also found Eccleston spent $9,665.19 in city funds on utility payments for her home and the Hungry Cow and Book Barn.
A woman who answered at the Hungry Cow said Eccleston was not available. The state auditors also reported she was not available to them.
"We contacted Ms. Eccleston to inquire about the improper and unsupported disbursements identified and the undeposited sewer billings; however, she reported she needed to check her schedule before meeting with us and stated she would get back to us. When she did not contact us, we attempted to reach her on several occasions, but she did not return voice mail messages left on her phone," the audit said.
Eccleston resigned from the city job on May 4, 2020. She worked as the city clerk until July 21, 2020, when a replacement was found.
Sand said he did not know if the city recovered any of the money.
This is the latest in a string of cases of cases over the last decade where leaders or staff of small Iowa municipalities have been accused of misusing public funds.
In February, the mayor, police chief, city clerk and former city clerk in Armstrong, Iowa, were charged with embezzling and misusing public funds.
In January, Angela Sorenson, a former Westfield, Iowa, city clerk, was sentenced to probation after stealing more than $70,000 in undeposited utility collections between 2013 and 2017, according to the Sioux City Journal.
"Over the last decade, we've seen the amount of large-scale theft of public funds increase," Sand said. "That's one of the reasons I've continued to advocate for making the large-scale theft of public funds a mandatory prison sentence in Iowa."
Philip Joens covers breaking news for The Des Moines Register. He can be reached at 515-443-3347 at pjoens@registermedia.com or on Twitter @Philip_Joens.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Clerk of southern Iowa city misused $57,000 in city funds, audit found
