WARREN Judge again refuses to drop charge against city auditor

The judge had dismissed the dereliction of duty charge against the water department manager.
WARREN -- A visiting judge has again denied the city auditor's request that a misdemeanor dereliction of duty charge against him be dismissed.
Judge Thomas A. Campbell, in an entry dated Thursday, denied David N. Griffing's motion for reconsideration. The trial is set for Oct. 24 in municipal court.
"After a careful review of the briefs, the statutes and the general allegations in the state's arguments, the court cannot conclusively say that the state cannot possibly present facts sufficient to sustain the criminal charge of dereliction of duty," the judge wrote.
The judge previously denied dismissal of the charge, but Atty. Sam Bluedorn asked for reconsideration after the judge dismissed a dereliction of duty charge against Richard Griffing, the city's water department manager and David Griffing's brother.
Investigation
The charges against both men came after a yearlong investigation of the water department by the FBI and city police.
Last year, the state auditor's office issued a finding for recovery of $26,036 against Debra Dunewood, the department's former head cashier.
She has not been charged with a crime. She was approved for a disability retirement in February 2001.
The audit says Dunewood sometimes delayed depositing money, showing a potential scheme to divert cash and delay deposits until sufficient subsequent receipts were accumulated to cover the amount diverted.
The city recovered the funds through its bonding company.