Amateur Auditors Not Needed

I would like to respond to Ms. Karin’s letter of February 22. I do not believe my opinions are biased. I have served as auditor, selectman, assistant town clerk, and justice of the peace.

Royalton hired a professional auditor to audit Royalton’s books. This was because any town with a federally funded project, such as our bridge, must have a yearly professional audit for the life of the bond, in this instance 30 years.

I also believe Royalton should have a professional yearly audit, as the size of funds going through our town has grown immensely. The funds presently going through Royalton (town and school) are in excess of $5 million. If any errors are made, the auditors are responsible. This audit may be viewed by anyone at the town offices.

Auditors are not "the only genuine check on the behavior of the selectboard." Plenty of people make their feelings known at Town Meeting, Selectboard meetings, by petition, and by letters to the editor. When I was selectman, at one memorable meeting, someone brought in a dead sheep and laid it on the table as an illustration of their concerns.

The "odd positions" are often in use. The fence viewers recently helped settle a dispute between neighboring landowners The deputy tree warden assists the tree warden. Royalton owns a considerable amount of forestland, in addition to the magnificent trees on our greens.

The selectboard tried to find people interested in serving as auditor. They placed several notices in The Herald of Randolph, placed signs around town, and spoke to people. It is too bad there are not other people interested besides Ms. Kerin, and Mr. Lester Corwin, whose name is on the ballot. And it is true that a balance of power is never out of place.

The fault, dear Brutus, lies not in the stars but in ourselves—"Julius Caesar" by William Shakespeare.

Alison S. Gravel

Royalton

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