Montgomery County's Jefferson Township is reeling from a financial oversight after an audit flagged a loss of $5,804 due to fraudulent checks attributed to the lax practices of its former fiscal officer, Tracey Edwards. The Ohio Auditor of State report dropped the bombshell that Edwards and her bonding company are hanging in the balance for the amount owing to her failure to keep the township’s books in check precisely from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31, 2022.
The issue surfaced when four fraudulent checks went unnoticed because Edwards failed to reconcile the township's bank accounts each month, as her job required. This oversight caused financial losses for the township, raising concerns about how the money would be recovered. An online report detailed the losses, highlighting Edwards' negligence, which auditors say is the main cause.
It's a sobering lesson for all in how public trust can turn sour when oversight is more than just a word thrown around in board meetings. It is the domain of protocols and best practices that have real-world repercussions when not adhered to. "By the time Ms. Edwards completed the reconciliations, neither the bank nor the county prosecutor was able to take steps to recover or dispute the misappropriated funds. The loss of these funds was therefore the result of Ms. Edwards’ negligence and does not represent a proper public purpose,” the auditor’s findings bellowed in a statement, as per the Ohio Auditor of State press release, shedding light on the consequences of Edwards' inaction.
