TROY TOWNSHIP – A former township fiscal officer must pay back more than $8,000 in late fees and sales taxes that should not have been paid, according to the state auditor’s office.
Dean Strohminger and his bonding companies are “jointly and severally liable for the findings” that were included in an audit of Troy Township’s finances in 2022 and 2023.
The total amount is $8,094.43. Strohminger served as township fiscal officer from April 2012 through February 2023.
“The hardest part for the township was the fact that he wouldn’t accept any help,” said Tom McCready, chairman of the trustees. “We tried to hire an assistant when we realized he was falling behind.
“I think it was a matter of him not being able to keep up anymore. It finally got to the point where the trustee board contacted the state auditor’s office.”
Between 2019 and 2023, auditors determined late fees, penalties and interest totaling $7,092.93 were charged to the township due to the late payments of tax, retirement system, credit card services and other withholdings and bills.
“These late fee charges would have been avoided had the funds been remitted by the required due dates,” the auditor’s office wrote in its report.
In addition, the township paid $891.50 in sales taxes on various purchases due to internal control deficiencies.
“Since the township was not legally required to pay the sales tax on these purchases, these expenditures were not for a valid purpose,” auditors wrote.
The trustees eventually hired a temporary fiscal officer to help with day-to-day operations. McCready credited current fiscal officer Betsy Michalski with keeping the township’s finances in working order.
The full report is available online at ohioauditor.gov/auditsearch/search.aspx.
mcaudill@gannett.com
419-521-7219
X: @MarkCau32059251
This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: State auditor’s office: Former Troy Township fiscal officer ordered to pay back $8K
Reporting by Mark Caudill, Mansfield News Journal / Mansfield News Journal
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