YELLOW SHEET Office of the State Auditor of Missouri Claire McCaskill

IMPORTANT:  This report contains information about the abolishment of township government in Wright County.  This report discusses the sequence of events leading to the abolishment of the township, the procedures followed during the abolishment, and the issues facing Wright County in the future as a result of the abolishment of the township organization form of government.

On April 3, 2001 Wright County voters approved the abolishment of the township form of government.  As a result, township officials were required by law to turn over records and title to all property to the county.  In addition, all outstanding township debt became liabilities of the county. 

Wright County received $339,703 from township bank accounts and became responsible for paying more than $89,000 in township liabilities.  Township road equipment and other personal and real property were turned over to Wright County as required by law. 

Problems were identified with townships’ legal compliance and record keeping; including several townships failed to file annual financial reports with the State Auditor’s Office, some township records were incomplete, and some financial transactions of townships appeared questionable. 

Prior to the abolishment, individual townships were primarily responsible for maintaining 650 miles of county roads.  Subsequently, such responsibility for road maintenance is now with the county.  As township tax levies were eliminated by the abolishment, the Wright County Commission reviewed various ways to obtain funding and on November 6, 2001 Wright County voters passed a one-half cent sales tax to fund county road improvements. 

 Complete Audit Report