The Greeneville Board of Mayor and Aldermen voted 4-1 on Tuesday to ask the Civil Service Board to seek applicants for the position of Town Recorder.

The board also reviewed the town's audit for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2011.

It was announced that the town significantly reduced its number of audit findings from the 73 findings auditors found last year.

The new audit document from Rodefer Moss & Co. showed a total of six findings and three significant deficiencies. Details of the audit will appear in a future edition.

City Administrator Todd Smith said the full-time position of recorder has not been filled, and town accountant Carol Susong has been serving as acting recorder.

Jim Warner retired from the recorder's position nearly a year ago.

Alderman Keith Paxton voted against the agenda item, stating that the salary previously used for recorder is now being used for the new position of city administrator.

Paxton added that new changes to the Town Charter will call for the city administrator to appoint an existing employee to the position of recorder.

Either way, the process still falls under the jurisdiction of the Civil Service Board, Smith said.

Alderman Buddy Hawk noted that the proposed changes to the Town Charter to reflect the new city administrator position have passed both the State House and State Senate unanimously.

Paxton said the town should wait until the charter is changed, and a new job description for recorder can be adopted.

"I think we're ahead of ourselves," Paxton said.

Several board members noted that the charter change likely will be complete before a new recorder is hired.

Under the existing charter, the Civil Service Board would certify candidates who meet the minimum qualifications for the job, and the Board of Mayor and Aldermen would hire the recorder, Smith said.

In other business, the board voted to hire nine new auxiliary police officers.

The names recommended by Police Chief Terry Cannon were: Justin House, Alan Greene, Larry Gilbert, Seth Spradlin, James Grinder, Joshua Laws, Maria Brown, Nathan Dotson and Walter Doolittle.

Cannon said hiring the nine officers will restore the auxiliary force to its normal level of 30 officers.

He said these officers, who are paid $8 an hour, serve important roles by patrolling at ball games, school dances and downtown events, and they are most needed during the Greene County Fair in August.

"They save us a load of overtime," Cannon said.

The hiring was approved, subject to background checks and testing, according to Cannon.

During his "mayor's comments" portion of the agenda, Mayor W.T. Daniels recalled a recent incident in which a counterfeit check with his forged signature was passed at a BB&T bank in Wise, Va.

The check was in the amount of $1,893.54, according to a report on file at the Greeneville Police Department.

Susong said the actual check with the same check number had been voided and not issued and was secured in a vault at Town Hall.

When it appeared on a bank statement with no watermarks or town logo, town staff knew it was counterfeit, Susong said.

She noted that local BB&T staff have been extremely helpful with the case, and the money will be restored to the town's General Fund checking account.

Daniels said he wanted to assure the public that the town's security is better than ever.

"I just want people to feel comfortable that we're doing everything we can do to protect the people's money," Daniels said.

The board approved a recommendation from the Greeneville Regional Planning Commission to abandon Leaping Deere Lane. The action will turn the street over to the John Deere Power Products plant on Hal Henard Road.

The company requested the abandonment as a way to make its property more secure, Daniels said.