Columbus – Franklin Township (Richland County) trustees and the fiscal officer were overpaid by more than $18,000 in 2009 and 2010, according to an audit released today by Auditor of State Dave Yost.

“Township salaries are set by law,” Auditor Yost said. “There is no gray area.”

The audit reported findings for recovery totaling $18,258 against township fiscal officer Cindy Roush Schroeder and township trustees Kenneth Levering, John McCarron, and Jeffery Kuhn.

Township fiscal officer and trustee salaries are set by Ohio law according to the size of the township budget. For township budgets between $750,000 and $1.5 million, allowable fiscal officer pay is $16,977 annually, while allowable trustee pay is $10,288 annually.

In 2009, Roush was paid $19,806.50, resulting in an overpayment in the amount of $2,829, which has been repaid. The trustees were each paid excess amounts of $1,028 in 2009 and $4,115 in 2010, for a total amount of $5,143 in three separate findings for recovery. Trustee Levering has repaid his finding in full, while trustees McCarron and Kuhn have entered into payment plans.

Due to inadequate financial records, Franklin Township was declared “unauditable” September 1, 2011. With the release of this audit, the township is being removed from the “unauditable” list maintained by the Auditor of State.

A full copy of the audit may be found online.

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The Auditor of State’s office, one of five independently elected statewide offices in Ohio, is responsible for auditing more than 5,600 state and local government agencies.  Under the direction of Auditor Dave Yost, the office also provides financial services to local governments, investigates and prevents fraud in public agencies and promotes transparency in government.

Contact:
Carrie Bartunek
Press Secretary
614-644-1111