Knox Clerk-Treasurer Permitted to Write-Off Outstanding and Unpaid Checks

Knox City Council members provided Clerk-Treasurer Jeff Houston with permission to write off the city’s outstanding and unpaid checks when they met Tuesday night.

Clerk-Treasurer Houston explained that checks that are outstanding or unpaid for at least two years are annually voided out on December 31st. He said he’s required to seek the council’s permission to write them off prior to March 1st each year.

One item he was permitted to write-off was a $150 check that was written to the city for a truck route violation. Despite their best efforts, city officials were unable to collect those funds for two years so he felt it was time to clear it from the books.

Houston added that the amount that could be receipted back into the general fund was less than it has been in past years.

He noted, “Normally, we have about a half a dozen, maybe 8 or so, outstanding checks that we’ve written to people and they have not cashed them. Well this year we tracked down everybody except one person. So there’s only one on there you’ll notice it’s only for $1.26”

Despite the small amount, Houston said he still had to bring it to the council for their approval and have it included in the meeting minutes.