1000 4-15 McC. New York, N. Y. Accounts ^Commissioner [Miscellaneous publications] A report on Office of City Clerk and Board of Alderman* Examination JR. T 1M!SC. PUBS.} PW-2 January /I, 1910 to September 1914. 1915 / OFFICE OF CITY CLERK AND BOARD OF ALDERMEN EXAMINATION AND AUDIT FOR THE PERIOD FROM January 1, 1910, to September 30, 1914 BY LEONARD M. WALLSTEIN COMMISSIONER OF ON OFFICE OF CITY CLERK AND BOARD OF ALDERMEN EXAMINATION AND AUDIT FOR THE PERIOD FROM January 1, 1910, to September 30, 1914 BY LEONARD M. WALLSTEIN COMMISSIONER OF ACCOUNTS CITY OF NEW YORK OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONERS OF ACCOUNTS MUNICIPAL BUILDING LEONARD M. WALLSTEIN COMMIS'IONE* February 13, 1915. HON. JOHN PUEROY MITCHEL, Mayor. Sir: I submit herewith the results of an examination and audit of the financial transactions of the office of the City Clerk and Board of Alder- men for the period from January 1, 1910, to September 30, 1914, during which period P. J. Scully was the City Clerk. POWERS AND DUTIES: Under charter provisions the City Clerk also serves as clerk of the Board of Aldermen and is required to keep specific records of its pro- ceedings and to perform certain duties related thereto. He is made the cus- todian of all records and documents belonging to The City of New York, except as otherwise expressly provided, and is empowered to issue certified copies of same. He also is authorized to issue permits for signs, licenses to auctioneers and marriage licenses. For these services, and for record- ing, certifying and filing of records, documents, etc., specified fees are collected. For the performance of these duties in each of the boroughs 3 of the city he is empowered to appoint such deputies or clerks as are necessary. The following is a list of the licenses and permits issued by the City Clerk, and services for which fees are charged : Auctioneer's license $100.00 Certificate and filing fees .43 $100.43 Marriage licenses and duplicates 1.00 Marriage license searches First year .50 Each succeeding year .10 Sign permits (per square foot) .10 Commissioner of deeds Qualification fee 5.00 Certificates .25 Copies (per folio) .05 Acknowledgments, oaths, affidavits and depositions .25 Certificate of comparison (per folio) .05 Certificate of signature .25 City surveyor's certificate .25 The rates of fees with the exception of marriage licenses, which are regulated by the State law, are fixed by the Board of Aldermen. In addition to the foregoing, "hunters' licenses" are issued for account of the State of New York, for which the charges are : State Fee. City Fee. Resident licenses $1.00 Non-resident licenses 20.00 .50 Non-resident taxpayers' licenses 10.00 .50 The State fees are remitted monthly to the County Clerk for trans- mission to the State Conservation Commission. All other fees are remitted monthly to the City Chamberlain. FINANCIAL OPERATION OF OFFICE OF CITY CLERK: The receipts of the office for the period under review, shown in detail in Exhibit "A" hereto attached, were as follows: Year. Amount. 1910 $117,682.03 19H ' 123,597.16 1912" 133,770.63 1913 143,555.75 1914 (to Sept. 30) 115,209.13 $633,814.70 Less: Hunter's license fees received for account of State Conservation Commission 20,252.00 Total net receipts $613,562.70 The cost of maintaining the office for the same period, dis- closed by an analysis of the total expenditures of the Office of the City Clerk, as shown in Exhibit "B," hereto attached, was as follows : Printing, Stationery Contin- Year. 1910 Salaries. . . $91,949.56 and Books. $3,017.43 1,785.30 2,342.47 2,508.67 1,568.75 of 2 safes. . . gencies. $1,800.00 1,550.00 1,680.00 1,926.16 1,459.05 Sundry. Totals. $96,766.99 96,614.73 102,825.30 109,925.95 84,103.28 1911 . . 94,279.43 1912 . . 98,802.83 1913 .. 105,491.12 1914(toSept. 30) 79,985.48 Purchase Moving o 375.00 715.00 ffice Totals ...$470,508.42 $11,222.62 $8,415.21 $1,090.00 $491,236.25 $491,236.25 Profit of operation of office of City Clerk for the period $122,326.45 An examination of the records of the City Chamberlain shows that the net receipts of $613,562.70 were duly received by him, and the remit- tances of amounts collected for "hunter's licenses*' were verified by receipts from the County Clerk on file. The total cost of maintenance of the Board of Aldermen and City Clerk for the period under review is set forth in a summary of appropria- tions, transfers of appropriations, special revenue bonds issued, expendi- tures and unexpended balances, hereto attached as Exhibit "B." All unexpended balances existing at the close of the year are return- able to the general fund of the city. OFFICE METHODS: The number of marriage licenses issued by the City Clerk in each year is from 30,000 to 40,000. The present method of procedure employs a loose form of marriage license which receives a consecutive number when issued, and there is no record of the number of such licenses issued other than a slip which accompanies the return of the daily receipts to the cashier. Owing to the magnitude of these transactions the license forms should be consecutively numbered and bound in stub book form. Similar books also should be used for the issue of duplicate marriage licenses, and for certificates of marriage license searches. Chapter 742, section 16, laws of 1907, provides that the State Board of Health shall furnish the City Clerk, through the County Clerk, with blank forms for marriage licenses and certificates, etc., but no provision is stated for furnishing them in bound form. For the purpose of issuing certificates of filing with County Clerks and Registers; qualifications and certificates to commissioners of deeds, tertificates of comparisons and signatures; records of copies; acknowl- edgments, etc., there is used a style of book forms containing two coun- terfoils. In the use of these books a hard indelible pencil should be employed when making a counterfoil, as the present method of using pen and ink has, in many cases, left counterfoils wholly illegible. INSPECTION WORK: One of the functions of the City Clerk is to issue permits for electric signs. During our examination we were informed that, during 1914, two sergeants-at-arms of the Board of Aldermen were detailed to inspect and measure such signs; and that they discovered many signs larger than were specified in permits, and signs where no permits had been issued, thereby increasing the revenues from this source by several thousand dollars during a period of about nine months. CARE OF RECORDS: In addition to the records of the Board of Aldermen and those created in the business of his office, the City Clerk is custodian of the old and valuable records and documents belonging to the city. The room now used for this purpose is entirely inadequate for the proper care of the books and records of the office, and the present condition is somewhat chaotic. Adequate space should be allotted for the care of such archives most of which could not be replaced. A card index system also should be installed to facilitate a ready reference to the records. Under section 28 of the charter the records in the custody of the City Clerk are made admissible in evidence in all courts and places ; and they are constantly being subpoenaed in legal matters. RECOMMENDATIONS 1. That the State Board of Health be requested and urged to furnish marriage licenses for the use of The City of New York in a particular form, to wit : That they should be bound in books, each license form being detachable from a permanent stub designed to record necessary record information as to the issued license ; and that the licenses and their stubs be consecutively and correspondingly numbered under yearly series. Also that similar stub-books be furnished for the issue of dupli- cate marriage licenses, and for certificates of marriage license searches. 2. That the services of sergeants-at-arms of the Board of Aldermen be utilized to make continuous inspection service as to electric signs, their compliance with permit requirements, etc. 3. That effective measures be taken to secure suitable and sufficient space for the care of the records of the Board of Aldermen and of The City of New York, which are in the custody of the City Clerk. 4. That a card index system be installed in the office of the City Clerk, whereby all records and documents may be susceptible of a ready reference. Respectfully submitted, LEONARD M. 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', eg"-*" T-H us oo eg ^< CD CO t rH O^ eg" Tf<0 t- rH co' eg us CO eg S^jjeo" -^cg''^ co" & 05 g : : : : : : , : : : : : : : : : :* : : : : : : :;2S :::,::::: ;o : : I-H"^ ' ' ' rH fl . . o t* O eg o. :-QS < o' aj> --g--|- S ::-:s^:--2d:::a-- z :: . . . . is : S ft ai >,- o 02-Jj tn ^ 7* S-C ^S""^r1 n "oos'2o-i t| - | S'e * ?> fl g a> S^ ^ -"? 5 - c ~^S^ bo .2 ^M'Oa>i>o2S'"^ o 10 ^ ^ S"cbo r"?5'* 1 5 ) o'a?5?5F 1 3" w -u^o 5"Co3 ^'PtcW^^^HfltCtcfew^ tou H !!" " !iiMi ?i^ is Ilectric sign permits larriage licenses " duplicates " searches aterest on bank deposits, ubpoenas Bronx. larriage licenses duplicates " searches [unters' licenses fees " a/c State Queens. Carriage licenses duplicates searches ubpoenas Richmond. larriage licenses.... duplicates " searches 3 ra ^ t> a ^ en HJ EXHIBIT "B" BOARD OF ALDERMEN AND CITY CLERK SHOWING COST OF MAINTENANCE FOR YEAR 1910 Code ' Amount of No. Title of Appropriation. Appropriation. 14 Salaries General Administration $201,150.00 Special Revenue Bond Issues. $330.67 15 C 16 S 17 Ci 18 ' 19 ' 20 ' 21 ' 22 ' 23 ' onting ilaries ty Cl encies- 3 Pres ark, Sa Co ident of Board 2,500.00 5,500.00 19,450.00 14,350.00 1,500.00 12,456.00 2,000.00 590.00 9,775.00 112.89 aries Manhattan. . Marriage Bur. The Bronx. . Brooklyn .. . Queens ' '18.09 Richmond . . ntingencies 1,500.00 1,000.00 29.18 800.00 Unexpended Expended. Balance. $201,416.64 $64.03 3,066.90 23.10 11,963.43 3,311.57 19,562.89 14,350.00 1,500.00 12,474.09 2,000.00 1,529.18 1,800.00 Totals $261,406.00 Add: Supplies from City Record: $11,655.83 $269,663.13 $3,398.70 Stationery 4,477.23 Books 673.98 01 KQrt Q-l Rental of offices of President of Board as furnished by Sink- ing Fund Commission 2,603.35 Total cost of maintenance for year 1910 $293,857.39 SHOWING COST OF MAINTENANCE FOR 13 Salaries General Administration $201,650.00 YEAR 1911 $201,503.27 $146 73 R.B.L.1D." " 1,066.96 1,046.71 20 25 " IE." " " 700.00 665.71 34.29 14 Contingenc's" " 2,500.00 1,725.70 774.30 15 Salaries President of Board. . . . 20,500.00 20,229.42 270.58 16 Contingencies " " " .... 2,500.00 2,013.10 486.90 17 City Clerk, Salaries Manhattan. 19,700.00 19,700.00 . R.B.L.1D City Clerk, " 1,486.95 1,486.95 . 18 Marriage Bur 14,350.00 14,350.00 . 19 The Bronx. 1,500.00 1,500.00 . 20 Brooklyn . . 12,452.00 21 Queens 2,000.00 12,448.00 2,000.00 . 4.00 22 Richmond 1 500 00 .... 1,500.00 . 23 Contingencies 1 000 00 ... 1,000.00 . R B L 2F 700.00 550.00 150.00 " IB. Clerk to Commission on . Revision of Names of Streets in Brooklyn 500.00 500.00 . " 1C. Stenographer to Commis- sion on Municipal Autos 800.00 800.00 Totals $279,652.00 $5,253.91 $282,218.86 $ 2,687.05 Add: Supplies from City Record: Printing 8,593.31 Stationer/ 3,069.53 Books 1,700.45 13 363 29 Rental of offices of President of Board as furnished by Sink- iner Fund Commission . . 3,905.00 Total cost of maintenance year 1911 for EXHIBIT "B" (Continued) BOARD OF ALDERMEN AND CITY CLERK SHOWING COST OF MAINTENANCE FOR YEAR 1912 Amount of Appro- priation. Transfers. .$203,950.00 Special Revenue Bond Issues. Unex- pended Expended. Balances. $202,796.17 $1,153.83 Code. No. Title of Appropriation. 30 Salaries Board of Aldermen. R.B.L.1H." $1,397.22 1,397.19 .03 2H." 500.00 500.00 President of Board... 20,700.00 20,316.52 383.48 City Clerk Manhattan 35,000.00 34,985.89 14.11 R.B.L.1H." " 350.00 350.00 2G." 1,100.00 1,100.00 The Bronx 1,500.00 1,500.00 34 Brooklyn.. 14,300.00 14,300.00 Queens .. 2,000.00 2,000.00 36 Richmond 1,500.00 1,500.00 37 Supplies and materials, Board of Aldermen 750.00 150.00 878.30 31.70 38 Supplies and materials, President of Board 150.00 126.50 23.50 39 Supplies and materials, City Clerk 380.00 350.00 30.00 40 Repairs to furniture, etc., City Clerk 100.00 100.00 41 Special contract obligations, Pres- ident of Board 400.00 100.00 260.31 39.69 42 Telephone service Board of Al- dermen 1,400.00 1,358.10 41.90 43 Telephone service President of Board 700.00 430.88 269.12 44 Contingencies B'rd of Aldermen 200.00 125.45 74.55 45 Pres. of Board.. 1,250.00 985.93 264.07 46 City Clerk 1,220.00 400.00 1,620.00 47 Purchase of furniture, etc., City Clerk 300.00 60.00 240.00 R.B.L.20 Stenographer, Commission on Taxicabs 500.00 499.98 .02 R.B.L.19 Increase in salaries of Vice- Chairman of Board of Alder- men and Chairman of Commit- tee on Finance, 1912 2,966.72 2,966.72 R.B.L.1F. Salary, Secretary to Chair- man of Committee on Finance, March 5 to December 31 1,233.87 1,233.87 Expenses of Aldermanic Committee on Investigation of Police De- partment 41,050.00 41,014.50 35.50 Totals $285,810.00 $49,097.81 $332,306.31 $2,601.50 Add: Supplies from City Record: Printing 8,414.19 Stationery 3,496.97 Books 3,185.11 15,096.27 Rental of office of President of Board, as furnished by Sink- ing Fund Commission 3,905.00 Total cost of maintenance for yea- 1912 $351,307.68 10 EXHIBIT "B" (Continued) BOARD OF ALDERMEN AND CITY CLERK SHOWING COST OP MAINTENANCE FOR YEAR 1913 Code. No. Title of Appropriation. 51 Salaries Board of Aldermen $ President of Board 53 City Clerk, Manhattan. 54 " " The- Bronx. 55 " " Brooklyn . . 56 " " Queens " " Richmond . 58 Fees and commissions, President of Board Special Amount Revenue of Appro- Bond priation. Transfers. Issues. 212,400.00 20,680.00 Expended. 5208,868.84 20,638.49 39,626.90 1,500 00 Unex- pended Balances. $3,531.16 41.51 173.10 39,800.00 1,500.00 18,500.00 18,416.13 2,000.00 1,500.00 83.87 2,000.00 1,500.00 900.00 440.82 625.00 737.50 624.32 597.44 1,872.84 51.95 31.45 53.32 1,365.04 567.71 14,996.95 459.18 59 Office supplies, B'rd of Aldermen. R.B.L.U. Office supplies, Board of Aldermen 625.00 750 00 12.50 5.68 20.00 .21 60 Office supplies, President of B'rd 61 General plant supplies, Board of Aldermen 250.00 380.00 100 00 517 44 62 Office supplies, City Clerk 800.00 1,073.05 63 Transportation, expenses, etc., Board of Aldermen 100.00 48.05 64 Carfares President of Board. . . . 65 Keeping records, etc., City Clerk. 66 Telephone service, etc., Board of Aldermen 100.00 10.00 58.55 6.68 133.48 15.13 3.05 700.00 640.00 1,391.00 107.52 66% Telephone service, President of Board 462 84 120.00 R.B.L.20A Committee on Buildings Expenses of revision of Building Code 15,000.00 Totals $301,808.84 $1,499.96 $15,750.00 $314,514.70 $4,544.10 Add: Supplies from City Record: Printing 9,806.54 Stationery 3,130.56 Books 2,247.79 Rental of office of President of Board, as furnished by Sink- ing Fund Commission Total cost of maintenance for year 1913 15,184.89 3,905.00 $333,604.59 11 EXHIBIT "B" (Continued) BOARD OF ALDERMEN AND CITY CLERK SHOWING COST OF MAINTENANCE FROM JANUARY 1, 1914, TO SEPTEMBER 30, 1914 Special Unexpended Amount Revenue Balance rp.., of Appro- Bond at Sept. itle of Appropriation. priation. Transfers. Issues. Expended 30, 1914 1 Salaries, Board of Aldermen $212,400.00 $158 678 45 $53 721 55 President of Board 20,680.00 14,971.86 5*70814 t.B.L.22'^ $5,970.00 4,972.50 '991.50 City Clerk 63,300.00 47,207.98 16,092.02 Fees and commissions, President of Board.. 500.00 10597 39403 5 Office supplies, B'rd of Aldermen 635.00 149.25 485 75 President of B'rd 515.00 500.00 873 83 141 17 City Clerk 1,190.00 500.00 1,459.05 230.95 Transportation 115.00 114 06 94 12 Communication Board of Alder- men 1,391.00 462.84 578.55 1,27529 Communication President of B'rd 462.84 462.84 ' 14 Contingencies 30.00 5,094.00 ........ 1,096.83 4,027.17 R.B.L. 22A Expense of moving City Clerk's office to new quarters 715.00 715.00 R.B.L. IK Purchase of 2 safes, City Clerk , 375.00 375.00 Totals $301,218.84 $6,094.00 $7,060.00 $231,298.33 $83,074.51 Add: Supplies from City Record: Printing 17,213.03 Stationery 1,879.03 Books 294.14 19,386.20 Rental of office of President of Board, as furnished by Sink- ing Fund Commission 2,928.75 Total cost of maintenance to September 30, 1914 $253,613.28 SUMMARY OF EXPENDITURES JANUARY 1, 1910, TO SEPTEMBER 30, 1914 (To Sept. 30) 1910. 1911. 1912. 1913. 1914. Totals. From Appropriation Accounts $261,406.00 $277,969.49 $283,244.05 $298,780.25 $225,235.83 $1,346,635.62 From Revenue Bond 49,062.26 Issues Supplies from City Record: Printing 16,439.70 Stationery 4,477.23 Books 673.98 Rental of offices of President of B'rd of Aldermen 2,603.35 8,257.13 4,249.37 15,734.45 6,062.50 83,365.71 8,593.31 3,069.53 1,700.45 8,414.19 3,496.97 3,185.11 9,806.54 3,130.56 2,247.79 17,213.03 1,879.03 294.14 3,905.00 3,905.00 3,905.00 2,928.75 60,466.77 16,053.32 8,101.47 17,247.10 Grand totals.. .$293,857.39 $299,487.15 $351,307.58 $333,604.59 $253,613.28 $1,531,869.99 12