How egregious is Y’town water department scam?

When one employee on the public payroll falsifies his credentials to boost his compensation, it’s an aberration.

When two employees do it, it’s cause for concern.

But when 26 individuals in the Youngstown Water Department are convicted of lying about their credentials in order to pocket additional public dollars, harsh punishment is demanded.

On Monday, the 26 individuals appeared in Franklin County Municipal Court and pleaded guilty to state charges stemming from their participation in the scandal. Two other employees initially charged in September 2016 have died.

The Ohio Attorney General’s Office, which prosecuted the case, agreed to the defendants pleading guilty in return for a one-year suspension of their Class 2 water-certification license from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency and thousands of dollars in fines and restitution.

The unclassified misdemeanor count of falsifying contact hours of required coursework for the state certification carried potential prison terms of four years and fines up to $10,000.

Therein lies our concern about the agreement hammered out by the lawyer for the water department employees and the state prosecutor.

The 26 employees, including three supervisors, are deserving of harsher punishment than what the agreement calls for: each one paying $2,000 in restitution to the city of Youngstown, plus a $1,000 fine to Franklin County Municipal Court and a $250 court administrative fee.

Some of the workers agreed to perform 50 hours of community service, while others decided to pay an additional $1,000 fine instead.

They’ve also agreed to tell the truth if subpoenaed by a court in any related legal actions.

The state has its sights set on Anthony Vigorito, instructor of the certification course on behalf of the EPA. Vigorito permitted the water department workers to leave early from the required training. He is plant operations manager of the Mahoning Valley Sanitary District.

McNally administration

While the state phase of the water department case is now done, the administration of Mayor John A. McNally must still determine if additional punishment is warranted.

We believe the seriousness of the case demands that heads must roll. The involvement of three supervisors and 23 other members of the water department in the scheme that resulted in an increase in their wages cannot be shrugged off as much ado about nothing.

The fact that not one of the employees raised an objection over how Vigorito was conducting the certification course speaks volumes.

Mayor McNally, who has a criminal record after pleading guilty to four state misdemeanor charges for his involvement in the Oakhill Renaissance Place criminal conspiracy, described what occurred as a “mistake in judgment.”

“We’ll review each employee’s situation separately, and we’ll determine if and what type of discipline is appropriate,” the mayor said.

On Friday, Law Director Martin Hume told The Vindicator the employees who belong to a union would not be fired. Hume said it was determined the offenses do not merit termination.

As for the three management workers, the law director said no decision has been made regarding punishment. However, it should not be assumed that termination is being contemplated by the administration.

But as City Hall conducts its examination, here’s a fact that must be considered: The 26 employees of the water department cheated the residents of the city by claiming more money in wages than they were owed.

Indeed, the amounts of overpayment ranged from $2,142 to $2,246. The Vindicator has calculated that between $150,000 and $175,000 was paid out in unearned compensation.

Yet, in the agreement between the employees and the Ohio Attorney General’s Office, the city of Youngstown will receive only $52,000.

“That was negotiated restitution,” said Dan Tierney, a spokesman for the office, said.

At the heart of this case is the Mahoning Valley’s long history of government corruption and the blurring of the lines between right and wrong.