2 Boardman trustees block financial forecast

Lame-duck trustees Kathy Miller and Robyn Gallitto refused to sign a state analysis of township finances.

By DENISE DICK

VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER

BOARDMAN — Two trustees’ refusal to sign a letter that was part of a financial analysis conducted by state auditor’s office means a financial forecast for the township can’t be completed.

“... Therefore, the auditor of state cannot certify the deficit in the general fund and determine the existence of a fiscal watch,” said the final analysis released this week.

Earlier this year, trustees asked the state for the analysis to determine if Boardman was in fiscal-watch status, which means that expenditures are outpacing revenues. It’s a precursor to a declaration of fiscal emergency, which would mean the state would come in and supervise spending.

When the state completed its review, the auditor’s office asked trustees to sign a representation letter listing eight points related to information given by the township to the auditor’s office. One of those points is the financial forecast.

Larry Moliterno, trustee chairman, signed the letter, but Robyn Gallitto and Kathy Miller did not.

That means the auditor’s office couldn’t evaluate the status of the financial forecast in determining whether the township meets fiscal-watch status, said Steve Faulkner, a spokesman for the state auditor.

That’s one of the conditions evaluated in assessing whether fiscal watch exists. The auditor’s office determined that in evaluating the other three conditions, the township isn’t in fiscal watch.

“We rely upon the accuracy and completeness of the financial forecast as part of the information that allows us to do our analysis,” Faulkner said.

If the trustees can provide no assurances the forecast is accurate, the auditor’s office cannot evaluate it, he added.

A draft report presented in October, though, found that the township didn’t meet any of the criteria that trigger a fiscal- watch declaration.

Moliterno said auditors completed their review and had access to all information and databases pertaining to township finances. He made sure of that before signing the letter by talking to both William Leicht, fiscal officer, and the auditor’s office representatives, he said.

“I also thought it was my fiduciary responsibility” [to sign the letter], Moliterno said.

He said he is comfortable the auditors conducted a complete review.

Gallitto, who lost her re-election bid in November, couldn’t be reached Thursday.

Miller, who also wasn’t re-elected, said the auditors wanted trustees to confirm the veracity of information compiled by Leicht, independent of trustees.

“As a trustee, I could not vouch for the information and thus could not certify by letter that the information submitted to the state auditor was complete and accurate,” she said.

Miller pointed to a 2008 performance audit conducted by the state auditor’s office that referenced procedures in the fiscal office.

“Fully one-third of the final report addressed the need to develop and disseminate budget, financial and public disclosure measures with respect to the finances of the township,” she said.

denise_dick@vindy.com