Audit findings have revealed a not-so-flattering picture of the financial goings-on within the Bedford City Schools district, with a particular spotlight on the actions of former treasurer William Parkinson. According to the Ohio Auditor of State, a recently released report, Parkinson has been singled out after it was found that the district incurred $11,751.21 in penalties due to late tax payments, in addition to an overpayment for vacation time amounting to $7,484.63.
Scrutiny of the district's finances between July 1, 2022, and June 30, 2023, put Parkinson and his insurance company jointly on the hook for the combined recovery sum of $19,235.84, which arises from their failure to process tax payments in a timely fashion, remitting income tax withholdings to the IRS, and not catching the overpayment in vacation dues when Parkinson's contract was terminated, these circumstances cast a shadow over the management of public funds.
"The district could have avoided the interest and penalties had it promptly remitted its employee tax withholdings," auditors commented, underlining a missed opportunity for fiscal responsibility. This issue was compounded by the fact that Parkinson received double payment for earned vacation days, a mistake that auditors criticized by stating through the Ohio Auditor of State, "… by making duplicate leave payments for the same vacation days, the district further contributed to the misuse of public funds."
In addition to the late fees, interest, and penalties that fell on Bedford City Schools for untimely tax remittances, the duplicate vacation payments further call into question the oversight and checks and balances or lack thereof that should have been in place within the district's finance department, raising concerns among stakeholders about the stewardship of their resources in a time where the prudent management of every dollar is critical.
