Two former fiscal officers for the Village of Yorkville in Jefferson County have been held accountable for a collective debt owed to the state. The reimbursement of $29,086 was made after a special audit by the Ohio State Auditor's Special Investigations Unit (SIU) found that late tax and unemployment compensation payments incurred significant penalties and interest.

The audit, which spanned the period from January 1, 2016, to December 31, 2021, pinpointed the mismanagement of funds under the tenure of former Fiscal Officer Korrene Prince and former Assistant Fiscal Officer Margaret Grady. Both officials were fired in March 2021, the culmination of a set of actions that, although not criminally prosecutable, nevertheless represent a breach of trust. According to a report by the Ohio Auditor's Office, the audit report is available for public scrutiny online.

Grady's financial oversight began when she was elected Clerk-Treasurer in 2003, a position later rebranded as Assistant Fiscal Officer when Prince came on board in 2018. The SIU's investigation showed that the late payment penalties included $20,431 in state tax withholdings, $4,028 in unemployment compensation remittances, $2,177 in federal tax withholdings, and $2,450 from other late payment penalties.

Of the total $29,086 owed, $21,598 was attributed to both Prince and Grady and her bonding company, while the remaining $7,488 was solely placed on Grady and her bonding company. In June, Grady repaid $17,861, and Prince contributed $11,225 towards settling their debts. Despite the financial recovery, criminal charges were not filed after the completion of the investigation, an outcome that speaks to systemic issues rather than individual failings.

The work of the SIU has proven significant in the past five years, resulting in 121 convictions and over $8.3 million in restitution since 2019. With hundreds of tips of suspected fraud received annually, the team's vigilance remains a critical safeguard against misuse of public funds. Citizens are continually encouraged to report suspicions of fraud through the SIU’s website or the fraud hotline, maintaining community involvement in the stewardship of financial integrity.