Accountants trying to make sense of city’s books

NATCHEZ — Four months into the job, the two accountants in the Natchez clerk’s office say they are still struggling to find structure in the city’s accounting system.

The Natchez Democrat reports accountants Nancy Hydrick and Christine Brinegar were hired last November to get the city’s books back in order. But Hydrick and Brinegar reported to the Natchez Board of Aldermen at its Tuesday finance meeting that the cleanup process has not even started.

Hydrick said she has been entering data into the city’s Springbrook accounting software and reconciling the balances of the city’s accounts in the software in an effort to close out the books from last fiscal year.

Both accountants said the clerk’s office’s staff needs better, more clearly outlined job descriptions.