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Taylor Releases Village of Buchtel Audit

Tuesday, November 13, 2007

Athens County -

Auditor of State Mary Taylor released the audit of the village of Buchtel for fiscal years 2005 and 2006 today. The audit revealed concerns with the accounting practices of the mayor’s court, including charging incorrect fees to those making court appearances.

“The recommendations made in the audit report will help Buchtel officials improve accountability in the management of public funds and reduce the potential for fraud or theft of taxpayer dollars,” Taylor said. 

In 2003, the state legislature increased court costs charged in mayor’s courts from $11 to $15. The audit indicates that the village of Buchtel never implemented the change, resulting in $2,996 owed to the state treasurer that was not originally collected. That amount was paid from the village’s general fund once the error was discovered by auditors.

The audit also reveals that the mayor’s court clerk:

  • Routinely collected significant amounts of cash but made deposits only once or twice a month
  • Maintained a checking account for the office but never balanced it with monthly bank statements

The Ohio Auditor of State’s Office is one of the largest accounting offices in the nation.  The office strives to ensure that all public funds are spent legally and appropriately and works aggressively to root out fraud, waste and abuse in public spending. Taylor encourages anyone suspecting fraud or misspending of public dollars to contact her office toll free at 1-866-FRAUD-OH (1-866-372-8364).

A full copy of the audit is available online at www.auditor.state.oh.us.