Grant County finance panel reviews departmental accounts, flags unexplained $28,955 deposit

At the Grant County Board of Finance meeting on April 7, 2025, Commissioner Mills presented year-end bank statements from multiple county departments and recommended consolidating some outside accounts into the general fund while staff investigates an unexplained $28,955 wire deposit.

Mills told the board he had asked department leaders and county staff for any bank accounts outside the general fund and had reviewed the statements provided. He said required statutory accounts he reviewed include commissary, inmate-trust and clerk child-support funds. "So far, I have not found any nefarious activities on any of the accounts I've looked at," Mills said. "The only checks that should be written from these or to the treasurer's office. And so that that is my finding so far."

Mills said specific balances reported in the packets included Grant County Emergency Medical Services with an ending balance of $152,259.47 on Dec. 31, 2024, a recorder account balance of $31,596.98 and a health department account balance of $28,352.38. He reported that EMS's daily low balance during the year was about $9,600 and that it typically maintains roughly $100,000 in the account. Mills also noted an Area Plan account described in the packet as having an ending balance reported in the transcript as "14850¢," which he presented as its year-end figure for review.

Mills recommended that some office-level accounts that sit inside county facilities be eliminated and that funds be deposited directly with the treasurer. "My recommendation if I had to make one today would be Area Plan and Veteran Service," Mills said, noting both operate within county government and could deposit receipts daily with the treasurer. He said other accounts — for example the recorder and health department — may be necessary to allow those offices to track deposits from software or insurers.

Board members and staff raised concerns that some outside accounts hold money that could be earning higher interest if swept into the general fund. One speaker noted that transfers into the treasurer increase funds available to invest at higher interest rates.

Board members also discussed the need for treasurer access to any bank accounts that hold county funds. A speaker identified as county staff said the treasurer "by statute has to be" involved and recommended naming the treasurer as an authorized user or assignee on outside accounts so the treasurer can monitor deposits.

The meeting record shows a separate, unexplained wire deposit of $28,955 that prompted immediate attention. A county official asked for permission to return the deposit to the bank pending investigation, saying they had "no reason for it." The treasurer told the board the item was a wire deposit labeled as a Mid America payable and that the telephone number on the deposit information rang and then dropped. The treasurer said, "I will carry that money if you want me to. I just nobody has come forward to say, hey. You know, we deposit this money in." Board members asked the treasurer to pursue further bank and State Board of Accounts information.

Other administrative notes included that Star Financial accounts had been closed out, that some banks show $0 balances after sweeping funds into the main county account, and that the clerk's office had not yet provided the required statements for the board's review. Commissioners said they would obtain the clerk's documentation, continue reconciling month-by-month back to 2022 as needed, and reconvene when missing information is provided.

No formal motions or recorded votes on policy changes or account closures appeared in the transcript. The board recessed after the discussion and asked staff to follow up on the unexplained deposit and to supply the remaining statements for a future review.

The discussion focused on internal controls and administrative steps rather than on allegations of intentional wrongdoing; Mills characterized the review as an audit-style check of account holdings and transfers. The board directed staff to gather outstanding documents and to report recommendations on which department accounts could be closed or brought under treasurer oversight.