The auditor also found a possible ethics violation by Greenon Board President Dennis Henry, Brown’s brother, according to a news release from the auditor’s office.
The district sought repayment from Brown, but she refused to return the money, Greenon Communications Director Megan Anthony said.
Nancy Hayes, the district’s former payroll clerk who made the error, then paid the money back, according to the audit.
The state requires findings for recovery to be repaid, Anthony said. After an internal investigation, the district determined the overpayment was an error and disciplinary action was warranted against Hayes.
“There was no intent or corruption,” Anthony said. “When it was discovered, we counseled (Hayes) on double-checking your work and paying attention to errors.”
The overpayment was a clerical error, Hayes said, and she agreed to make the payment.
“I agreed it was my error and I said I would repay it since I knew she would not,” Hayes said.
Hayes retired effective Jan. 1, according to district board meeting minutes. Brown couldn’t be reached for comment on Thursday afternoon.
The auditor’s office also referred a possible ethics violation to the Ohio Ethics Commission. Henry voted to accept the resignation of Brown — his sister — and her severance agreement, according to the auditor’s office.
“Details matter,” said Auditor Dave Yost in a news release. “The ethics, the dollars and cents — it all has to make sense.”
The Ohio Revised Code states no public official shall knowingly authorize, or employ the authority or influence of the public official’s office to secure authorization of any public contract in which the public official, a member of the public official’s family, or any of the public official’s business associates has an interest.
“There was no ethical issue in my voting on a separation agreement for a former employee who happens to be my adult sister,” Henry said in a statement to the Springfield News-Sun. “I did not in any way personally benefit from the agreement because the former employee and I do not share bank accounts, we do not commingle funds and we do not reside in the same household.”
Henry wasn’t involved in the negotiations of the separation agreement, he said in his statement. The auditor’s finding relates to a clerical error, he said, and the severance agreement voted on was accurate.
“The clerical error was not contained in the agreement the board voted on,” Henry said. “It occurred after the fact when payment under the agreement was made and the error has since been fully corrected.”
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