PAYROLL PROBLEM Measure adjusts finances

The former finance director did not take the money.
By MARALINE KUBIK
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
CAMPBELL -- A piece of legislation advanced to a second reading during Wednesday's council meeting triggered allegations by the city's finance director that a money transfer made by his predecessor was improper.
The resolution, when it goes into effect after a third reading, will authorize the director of finance to move $8,500 from the general checking account to the Community Development Block Grant checking account. This will be for repayment of an unauthorized loan from the CDBG account to the general fund.
Finance Director John Leskovyansky said his predecessor, Dennis Stevens, wrote a check Dec. 5, 2003, transferring the money from the CDBG fund to the general fund using the mayor's rubber-stamp signature -- without the mayor's knowledge or the approval of council.
The mayor was out of town when the check was written, Leskovyansky said; the money was used so that the city could make payroll.
The transaction was not legal, according to Law Director Brian J. Macala. But because the former finance director did not take the money, Macala said he cannot be charged with theft.
Other matters
In other business Wednesday, legislation advanced to a third reading included:
* A resolution authorizing the finance director to open a separate bank account for the deposit of court capital improvement fund cash;
* An ordinance directing the law director to seek authority from the common pleas court authorizing closing of the sewage fund and transferring the remaining balance to the city general fund;
* An amendment to an ordinance that would increase the amounts appropriated for severance in the mayor's office and administration department for payment of accrued unused vacation and sick leave;
* An ordinance directing the finance director to place remaining revenue to be received from property liens from unpaid sewer bills, at the time of sale of the waste treatment plant to Mahoning County, into the city general fund.
All four items would go into effect after the third reading, which will take place at the next regular meeting, 7:30 p.m. May 19 in council chambers.
Council also authorized the Mahoning County auditor to place liens on 48 properties with unpaid water bills. Amounts owed range from $83 to $1,146.
Last month, council authorized the Mahoning County auditor to place liens on 86 properties for unpaid water bills. Amounts owed for those bills range from $76 to $1,111.
kubik@vindy.com