By ordinance of May 6, 1836, the Second Municipality Council provided by the annual appointment of a Comptroller. The duties of that officer were to:

• examine claims and audit accounts against the municipality, and to report on them to the Council at its regular meetings
• countersign warrants drawn on the Treasurer
• examine, adjust, and settle accounts of persons indebted to the Municipality
• have charge of all real estate belonging to the Municipality
• superintend the collection of taxes and debts due to the Municipality
• keep a complete set of books relative to appropriations for expenditures by the Municipality
• assist the commissioners of the Municipality sinking fund
• keep records relative to the Municipality's share of the city debt managed by the General Sinking Fund
• countersign all receipts for taxes on real estate and enslaved people
• procure from the custom house a monthly list of vessels moored at the port of the Municipality, to be used for comparison to the statements made by the Wharfinger of the Municipality
• make an annual report to the Council on the revenues and expenditures of the Municipality