Missing Rhine water funds to be investigated

Water bill payments, in the form of cash, were found missing from the city of Rhine’s bank accounts in 2011. In a city council meeting on Thursday, November 3, 2011, Rhine’s city attorney Joey Marchant addressed council regarding missing water bill deposits. From January 2010 to June 2010, the total cash deposited was approximately $7,593.78. From January 2011 to June 2011, the total cash deposited was approximately $251.00. At this meeting, council discussed having a former employee, June Sheffield, pay restitution to the City of Rhine in the amount of $7,000.00. Marchant prepared an agreement for Sheffield to sign that would require her to pay restitution of $300.00 per month with a final payment of $100.00 over a period of 23 months interest free. This agreement would keep the city from seeking any legal action.

In a Thursday, December 1, 2011 council meeting, Marchant informed council that he had discussions with Sheffield and an agreement was made for Sheffield to pay restitution with the first payment due on January 15, 2012. Marchant indicated that Sheffield desired to wait until the Christmas holidays were over before she would begin restitution payments.

In an article dated December 14, 2011 edition of The Dodge County News, Sheffield met with editor Chuck Eckles and informed Eckles that she did not take any money from the City of Rhine. Sheffield stated that she had not signed an agreement with the city to repay any of the $7,000.00 cash money for water bill payments that was never deposited into the city’s bank account from January 2011 to June 2011 while she was employed by the city. Sheffied went on to say that she would meet with Rhine Mayor Carter Clements in January 2012 to tell him the story about what she knew that would clear up the matter.

A special called meeting has been set for Thursday, January 5, 2012 at 6:30 p.m. at Rhine City Hall. The special called meeting agenda includes the following items: city sewer, missing water funds, water sample collection and personnel.

In other council business, the bid for the cooler at the Old Rhine School was opened by council. The only bid came from Billy Joiner in the amount of $101.00. Councilperson Dena Barrows made the motion to offer the cooler to Joiner for the amount that the cooler would bring as scrap metal. Spires seconded the motion and the motion carried.

Mayor Clements informed the board that someone had expressed interest in buying the concrete pipes at the old school. Barrows stated that the value of the pipes should be accessed and Hilliard made the motion to table this matter until the next meeting.