Columbus – Past due accounts payables, deficit fund balances and a treasury deficiency prompted Auditor of State Dave Yost today to place the Village of Clarksville (Clinton County) in a state of fiscal emergency.

“The Village of Clarksville is undoubtedly going through some rough times,” Auditor Yost said. “My office will assist where we can to help the village develop a plan to regain financial stability.”

Mayor Noni Wood requested a fiscal analysis to determine if the financial condition of the village justifies the declaration of a fiscal emergency. The analysis determined that as of December 31, 2014 and April 20, 2015, three of the six fiscal emergency conditions existed.

The Auditor of State’s office found that accounts payable from the general fund and all funds – which were at least thirty days past due at December 31, 2014 and at least sixty days past due as of April 30, 2015 – exceeded available fund receipts by $482,781 and $472,940, respectively.

In addition, the Auditor of State’s office determined that the Village of Clarksville had aggregate deficit fund balances of $583,656 and $690,719 as of December 31, 2014 and April 30, 2015, respectively. The analysis also identified treasury deficits that exceeded one-sixth of the treasury receipts by $24,747 and $40,248 at December 31, 2014 and April 30, 2015, respectively. 

The village’s population is less than one thousand as of the most recent census; therefore the Auditor of State’s office will serve as the financial supervisor and have all the powers and responsibilities of a Financial Planning and Supervision Commission.

A village is placed in fiscal emergency if any one of the six conditions described in Section 118.03 of the Ohio Revised Code exists. The six conditions are: 1) default on a debt obligation; 2) failure to make payment of all payroll; 3) an increase in the minimum levy of the village which results in the reduction in the minimum levy of another subdivision; 4) significant past due accounts payable; 5) substantial deficit balances in village funds; and 6) a sizeable deficiency when the village’s treasury balance is compared to the positive cash balances of the village’s funds.

The Village of Clarksville was placed on the “unauditable” list in August 2013.  When the audit was released in March 2015, it found the former village administrator illegally adjusted utility accounts to the tune of $23,000. 

A full copy of this fiscal emergency declaration may be accessed online. 

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The Auditor of State’s office, one of five independently elected statewide offices in Ohio, is responsible for auditing more than 5,800 state and local government agencies.  Under the direction of Auditor Dave Yost, the office also provides financial services to local governments, investigates and prevents fraud in public agencies and promotes transparency in government.