Her written record of the June 6 meeting -- presented to township trustees Wednesday -- said she would pay the costs for two hired contractors "if necessary." At the June 6 meeting, she had pledged to pay charges from a division of the state auditor’s office, Local Government Services, and the accounting firm of Rea & Associates. The total cost of the work is expected to be around $11,000.
GOSHEN TOWNSHIP The township's fiscal officer has backed away from a promise she made two weeks ago to cover costs for extra accounting services needed to prepare the books for a state audit.
Fiscal Officer Amanda Spies said Wednesday that she made the decision upon reflection and after consulting with legal counsel.
Her written record of the June 6 meeting -- presented to township trustees Wednesday -- indicated she would pay the costs for two hired contractors "if necessary." At the June 6 meeting, she had pledged to pay charges from a division of the state auditor’s office, Local Government Services, and the accounting firm of Rea & Associates of New Philadelphia. The total cost of the work is expected to be about $11,000.
Township trustees hired Rea & Associates after state Auditor Dave Yost declared the township's 2016 and 2017 records unauditable on May 18. He gave the local government 90 days to get the documents in order. Local Government Services completed its work previously.
Because of the disputed phrase in Spies' written account of the June 6 meeting, called the minutes, township trustees Joseph Ginnetti, William Miller and Samuel Wise refused to approve it. They said the phrase "if necessary" should not be in the minutes if it was not said at the meeting.
When trustees asked Spies for copies of the minutes, she said she could not provide them because they had not been approved, and thus were not public records.
Trustees and the fiscal officer also discussed a blank township check she reported stolen. She said it disappeared from her desk in her locked office. She said only five people have a key to the office: herself, the three trustees and the road superintendent.
Spies said she was unable to ask the bank to stop payment on the check because it was blank. Under questioning from Miller, she declined to say who gave her that information.
Miller said an employee of the township's depository, First National Bank of Dennison, told him that a blank check can be the subject of a stop-payment order if the check number is provided. The service costs $20 per check.
Miller implied that no one in township government would have any reason to take the check, knowing it would require signatures of the fiscal officer and at least two trustees to use it.
Spies lashed out at trustees for failing to notify her of the special meeting they held May 29 to engage Rea & Associates.
"How could I possibly be notified of a meeting when I was on a two-week vacation?" she said.
Miller said a phone message about the meeting was left at Spies' office.
He said Rea & Associates was hired on Spies' own written recommendation, and that trustees needed to act quickly because of the 90-day deadline from the state auditor.
In other action Wednesday, trustees said they are accepting resumes for the full-time position of road superintendent, as the current employee is nearing retirement.
Trustees will meet next at 5 p.m. July 5 in the township office, 1607 state Route 39 NE. They normally meet on the first and third Wednesdays of each month.
Reach Nancy at 330-364-8402 or nancy.molnar@timesreporter.com.
On Twitter: @nmolnarTR