Judge sets Griffings' trial dates in dereliction of duty cases

WARREN -- Two city officials will soon go to trial on misdemeanor counts of dereliction of duty.
Visiting Judge Thomas Campbell said during a pretrial hearing Thursday in municipal court that Auditor David Griffing's trial will be set for July 11 and his brother, Richard, manager of the city's water department, will go to trial Sept. 5.
The two are accused of failing to make sure water department money was deposited in a bank daily, police said. The charges were filed by Bob Johnson, Girard city prosecutor, who is serving as special prosecutor in the case.
FBI agents and city police have been investigating the water department for about a year.
Finding for recovery
Last year, the state auditor's office issued a finding for recovery of $26,036 against Debra Denuded, the department's former head cashier.
She has not been charged with a crime. She was approved for a disability retirement Feb. 13, 2001.
The audit says Denuded sometimes delayed depositing money, showing a potential lapping scheme to divert cash and delay deposits until sufficient subsequent receipts were accumulated to cover the amount diverted.