Columbus – The City of Green (Summit County) improperly issued $30,321 in leave payouts to two former employees, according to an audit released today by Auditor of State Dave Yost. 

City code allows employees to receive payouts for unused sick leave “upon separation from employment due to death or retirement.” Former Director of Public Service Randall Monteith collected a $15,999 sick leave payout for what the city claimed was his retirement. However, Monteith was ineligible for the payout because he previously retired from another city and cannot retire from public service twice.

“Retirement has its perks, but the law says public employees can only get them once,” Auditor Yost said. “This employee wasn’t entitled to a sick leave payout, and I expect him to repay the full amount owed to taxpayers.”

The city also paid Monteith and former Service Supervisor Michael Brink $8,274 and $6,048, respectively, for vacation leave that would have been credited on Jan. 1, 2015. Auditors determined that both employees were ineligible for the payments because they left their jobs with the city on Dec. 31, 2014.

Findings for recovery in the amounts of $24,273 and $6,048 were issued against Monteith and Brink, respectively. Former City Director of Finance Laurence Rush is jointly and severally liable in the full amounts because he signed the warrants resulting in the improper payments.

In addition, nine seasonal workers were overpaid a combined $8,388 in 2015 due to a pay rate error, resulting in findings for recovery against the individuals. On June 28, 2016, city council retroactively approved the 2015 rates with Resolution 2016-R24. As a result, the findings are considered resolved.

A full copy of this report is available 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 5,800 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:
Ben Marrison
Director of Communications
614-644-1111