Audit finds more than $3,000 in severance overpayments in Jefferson Township

TREMAYNE HOGUE/STAFF

TREMAYNE HOGUE/STAFF

Jefferson Township overpaid severances by more than $3,000, according to the 2020 financial audit by the Ohio Auditor’s Office.

The overpayments totaled $3,233 and included severance payments for former Battalion Chief Chad McInturff and Maintenance Coordinator Randall DeVilbiss.

McInturff resigned effective Oct. 24 and was overpaid by $497 after the township’s payroll system credited him with 106.7 hours of vacation instead of 78.7, according to the auditor’s office. There was no indication that township trustees reviewed and approved the payment.

DeVilbiss was terminated effective May 6, 2020. The payroll system should have carried over the 40 maximum hours of vacation time from 2019 into 2020, which would have left DeVilbiss with no vacation time left at the time of termination. However, he had a balance of 114 hours of vacation leave, resulting in an overpayment of $2,736, according to the auditor’s office.

A finding for recovery was issued against McInturff for $497 and DeVilbiss for $2,736 and will go to the Jefferson Township’s Fire fund.

The auditor’s office also issued a finding for recovery against Trustees James McGuire and Roy Mann Sr., who reportedly approved the payroll, including DeVilbiss’ overpayment.

The township is facing additional findings for noncompliance with minute deficiencies and time and effort certifications as well as material weakness for financial statement misstatements.

The township also hasn’t fully corrected previous findings, including financial statement errors, proper encumbering of expenditures, budgetary information in an accounting system and minute deficiencies, according to the auditor’s office.

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