In a comprehensive audit of Franklin Township's financial activities, Ohio's Auditor of State Keith Faber has unveiled a startling array of failures and mistakes. With a tally exceeding $66,000 in findings for recovery against 60 individuals, the report lays bare the extent of financial mismanagement between January 1, 2017, and December 31, 2019. These included serious payroll deficiencies, improper tracking of leave, and a multitude of other budgetary discrepancies.
According to the Ohio Auditor of State Keith Faber released an audit report, Chief Deputy Auditor Robert Hinkle, indicated retiring after over four decades in service, expressed his dismay at the township's fiscal practices. "This report is the worst accounting performance I have seen in all of my time in the Auditor of State’s Office," he declared, pointing to a distinct lack of oversight that allowed these issues to compound unchecked. Among the myriad issues, fiscal officers were cited for their failure to perform crucial monthly cash reconciliations throughout the entire audit period.
The breakdown of proper payroll procedures prominently featured in the township's financial woes. Findings were made against a range of employees, including 10 administrators, 35 fire department members, six road department employees, and nine police force members. These individuals primarily made errors or failed to adhere to township policies and collective bargaining agreements.
Other problems identified in the audit extended to the broader financial governance of Franklin Township. Expenditures routinely outstripped appropriations, an issue compounded by fiscal officers not permitting township trustees to access budgetary reports or monitor financial activity effectively. In a misstep of recording financial transactions, the township also failed to accurately document the exchange of property taxes.
Adding to this litany of fiscal failures, Franklin Township collected various fees in a haphazard manner, with no clear policies for deposits or safeguarding collected cash or checks. As for building permits, payments were not consistently tracked, resulting in discrepancies where some individuals had outstanding balances, and others were charged more than what was due. With this audit, the depth of Franklin Township's financial irregularities becomes starkly apparent, highlighting a systemic need for reform and oversight of its financial practices.
