Federer appointed employee Hillary Hamilton chief deputy auditor while hospitalized, Clark County commissioner Melanie Flax Wilt said during Wednesday’s regular meeting. The commission appointed Hamilton interim auditor on Wednesday.
“I don’t think that that’s really the way that he wanted to retire, but he knows that’s best for the county, and he’s always been able to put the county first,” Flax Wilt said.
Federer was elected to the position in November 2010 and was in his fourth term after being re-elected in 2022. He is an Ohio State University alumnus and had a 34-year banking career, serving as president, according to the auditor’s website.
Details about his health issues were not disclosed.
Federer has been active in community organizations including Springfield Rotary Club, Boy Scouts, Springfield Museum of Art, United Way and multiple foundations.
Dan Harkins, former Clark County Republican Party chairman, said after the resignation date, the Republican Party Central Committee will have 45 days to seek candidates and make an appointment to the office.
Any candidate could seek to run for the office next year, when the remainder of the unexpired term would appear on the ballot. The filing deadline for that will be in December for Ohio’s March primary, because of 2024′s presidential election.
Hamilton said that she has been with the auditor’s office for more than 17 years, serving as the appraisal manager for the past nine. She said she has a list of goals for the office that she has been working through.
“I’m very excited and grateful for this opportunity,” Hamilton told commissioners. “Looking forward to the next steps as well, (and I) fully intend to take this home.”
A Wittenberg University graduate, Hamilton has served as appraisal director for more than nine years, guiding the office through two triennial updates and one mass reappraisal, according to a Clark County press release. She lives in Pleasant Twp. with her husband, Joe, and their three children, Connor, Madeline and Benjamin.
“I pride myself with the rapport that I’ve built with taxpayers and organizations throughout my service,” she said in the release. “Whether it has been answering a value question, helping a taxpayer with homestead, or issuing a dog license — communicating and helping the taxpayer has always been the most satisfying part of my career.”
Credit: Mike Cooper
Credit: Mike Cooper
Federer’s website also touted his office’s successes as including multiple technology enhancements such as direct deposit for county payroll for all employees; a new county-wide financial system; a mobile app allowing taxpayers to easily research properties from any location, and partnering with the city of Springfield, law enforcement and fire departments on the improved use of GIS technology.
The website also noted improvements to ensure “fair and accurate” real estate values resulting in fewer property value disputes than ever before.
The office faced scrutiny when former deputy auditor Robert Vanderhorst was found to have stolen $1.8 million of public money from 2005 to 2021. The stolen funds paid for out-of-state trips, vehicles, home expenses and more.
Vanderhorst was convicted of aggravated theft and theft in office, then sentenced in September 2022 to seven years in prison and ordered to pay $1.87 million in restitution — to pay back the stolen funds and court costs.
Vanderhorst was fired on Jan. 12, 2022, after the Clark County Auditor’s Office said it learned of the allegations.
About the Author