(The Center Square) – Two northeast Ohio village employees were overpaid by more than $7,000 after officials did not approve additional money.
State Auditor Keith Faber announced findings for recovering against the village of Woodmere treasurer and the fire chief after an audit uncovered the overpayments in 2022.
The finding included a total of $6,437.50 against Treasurer Regina Greathouse-Owens, who auditors say received extra pay over her regular compensation for doing additional duties when the assistant treasurer position was vacant.
Mayor Benjamin Holbert III approved the additional money, but the report said it was illegal under village law. Both Greathouse-Owens and Holbert are liable for the finding.
Also, Fire Chief Gina Devito-Staub was paid a higher rate in 2023 after a pay hike was approved for other village employees. According to auditors, the ordinance passed for the increase did not apply to the fire department.
Both Devito-Staub and Greathouse-Owens are liable.
Those findings followed an earlier finding of $2,100 against the former fiscal officer and manager for the Germantown Union Cemetery in Montgomery County, near Cincinnati.
That audit showed former Fiscal Officer Julie Delph used the wrong hourly rate to calculate the vacation payout for cemetery Manager Sexton Mark Steinecker, leading to an overpayment of more than $1,500.
Auditors also found more than $500 in interest and penalties after late payment of state taxes and Ohio Public Employees Retirement System withholdings.
