(The Center Square) – Canton City Schools continued to pay four employees nearly $40,000 for six months after they left employment.
State Auditor Keith Faber issued a finding of recovery against the four former employees after an audit of the district’s finances that covered July 1, 2023, through June 30, 2024.
“The district clearly did not have controls in place to ensure only those actually employed received paychecks and attendance bonuses,” Faber said. “There’s no excuse for this happening.”
Faber, a Republican, is running for attorney general in 2026.
Jason Huff Jr., Kyra Kennedy, Jacob Kent and Melissa Leasure worked in the district’s Transportation Department. Leasure, Kennedy and Kent were bus drivers, while Huff was a bus assistant. They all left their positions in fiscal year 2024.
However, Huff was paid $9,376, while Kennedy was paid $8,690 and Kent $11,823 after they left their positions. Leasure was paid $10,079 after she left.
According to Faber, the departures were not reported to the district’s human resource department, and all four continued to receive paychecks and attendance bonuses for about six months.
Faber said District Treasurer Jeff Gruber, his bonding company and Assistant Transportation Director Vazque are jointly liable for the findings.
Canton is the 24th largest school district in the state.
