An audit shows the former city clerk in the small western Iowa town of Conway was responsible for over $32,000 in embezzled or misused funds. State Auditor David Vaudt said Nicole Paul literally drained the city’s bank account.

“In fact, the investigation started because the city received a call from the bank that they had insufficient funds to clear a check that was written on the city’s account,” Vaudt said. “Thirty-two-thousand dollars for a small city of approximately 40 people is a big impact.”

The report states Paul confessed that she embezzled around $21,000 by writing checks to herself. The audit covered a nearly eight year period between October 2002 and March 2011 — when Paul was fired.

 A copy of the auditor’s report has been filed with the Taylor County Attorney’s office and other state and local agencies for consideration of possible charges in the case.