The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1954-03-11
Add Interest To
Findings Against
Former Official
Illegal Expenditures Also
Noted In Final Report OF
State Examiners

State Examiners
The addition of interest charges
amounting to s974.56 on money with
held and u~naccounted for during his
term of office as clerk of the Village
Of Button and its board of public
affairs has brought to a total of
S5,035, the findings for recovery
against Charles r. Emans in the f.
nal report of the state examiner fled
Thursday of last week in Columbus.
Button council had earlier been
Informed by Examiner John ID.
Swisher in a preliminary report that
the findings were being made against
the former Button official for a to-
tai of $4,000.
In the completed report a separate
finding of $767.92 was made against
Mr.. Emans as interest for four years
on $3,199.74 in funds collected but
not accounted for as clerk of the
board of public affairs. Interest
amounting to $206.64 was also charg-
ed on 1861 illegally withheld by Mr..
Emans as clerk of the village.
In listing the interest charges in
the findings for recovery, Mr.. Swish
,er noted:
1T is evident that the action of Mr..
Charles R. Emans, collector of the
Board of Trustees of Public Affairs,
in Withholding moneys collected and
due the Village of Bluffton, deprived
said village of the use of such reve-
nue. to which they were legally enti-
tied.
at is also obvious that Mr.. Emans
personally benefited from the use of
said funds illegally withheld"
Meanwhile arrangements have
been made whereby the former clerk
will make restitution of the money.
S1,009.96 has already been deposited
with County Prosecutor Anthony J.
Bowers as partial payment of the OBJ
legation.
Two other findings for recovery
were made in the audit of the towns
books. The village was directed to
pay the Allen county treasurer
S327.11, representing fines collected
in state law cases which were depos-
tied in the village treasury instead
OF being given the county treasurer.
4 finding of $45 was made against
Wade Finton in favor of the village.
Mr.. Finton, an engineer at the light
plant, had been overpaid that
amount.
Mr.. Finton had been paid SIS per
month above the amount set for his
classification under village ordinance
for a period of nine months. The ad-
ditlonal compensation, James Draper,
light plant superintendent, had ex-
planned was in recognition of the fact
that Mr.. Finton was the holder of a
second class engineers license.
Although no finding was made, the
examiner also called attention to the
fact that various employees of the
light and water plant had received
payment for overtime work, not
specifically provided for by ordi-
nance. The overtime payments to-
tailed $2,038.o1 during 1868.
Because, the examiner said, the
employees apparently performed ad-
ditional service, and the rate of pay
for such additional time and service
was commensurate with the salary of
the employee as fixed by council, no
findings for recovery was made.
The board of public affairs was al
& censured for making expenditures
of more than $1,000 without advertis-
ing for competitive bids. The exami-
ners noted that a total of $108,074.49
was illegally spent without advertis-
ing. Most of this was paid to fuel
companies. State laws require the
board of public affairs to obtain coun-
ell approval for expenditures over
$1,000, then advertise for bids and
enter the written contract with the
lowest and best bidder.
The payment of 1910 during 1852
and 1868 as salary to former Council
man Gerhard BUTLER was also declar-
ed an illegal expenditure. The ex-
aniner cited the law which ~''specif-
cally provides that no member of the
Legislative authority shall hold any
other public office or employment ex-
cept that of Notary Public, or Mem
Der of the State Militia"
Mr.. BUTLER has since resigned his
position on council and there was no
finding for recovery made in the au-
dit.
The audit further noted that al
though by ordinance a village recrea-
ton commission was established,
councils minutes make no mention of
the length of terms of the various ap-
pointees.