Lawyer: Books will be updated
By D.A. WILKINSON
ROGERS
Michele McBride Simonelli, the lawyer for the village of Rogers, said its books will be updated within the 90-day deadline set by the Ohio Auditor’s Office.
Ohio Auditor Mary Taylor on Tuesday announced the compliance period, which began Thursday, after declaring the village’s books were unauditable for 2008 and 2009.
An unauditable designation means that records and documents necessary for a routine financial audit are missing, incomplete or inaccurate, according to Julia Debes, a spokeswoman for Taylor.
There are no allegations of wrongdoing, but Taylor said village officials must maintain records of their financial activity in accordance with state law and state record-retention schedules.
Katrina Moore, who is the part-time clerk-treasurer for the village, is the latest in a series of clerk-treasurers. The previous clerk walked out of the job.
Moore is trying to resolve bank statements with spending. She and Mayor Delores Scyoc-Silverthorn and other village officials have met with state auditors to discuss the situation. The meeting also discussed the steps that must be taken in public purchases.
She and the mayor have been reconciling purchases with bank statements by hand.
“All the records are there,” Moore added.
Moore said she works only part time for the village.
Columbiana County Auditor Nancy Milliken said Moore is estimating $57,815 in appropriations next year with revenue of $99,000.
Debes said the state auditor’s office can assist village officials in correcting record-keeping deficiencies if needed.
The state auditor could pursue legal action if village officials fail to revise financial records and provide information necessary to complete the audit.
But the village will remain in the unauditable category until all financial documents are obtained and the final audit report is released to the public.