For Immediate Release:                                                      

June 22, 2021                                                             

Severance Overpayment Results in Carlisle Township Audit Finding for Recovery

Columbus – Auditor of State Keith Faber’s Office released the 2018-2019 financial audit of Carlisle Township in Lorain County. The audit included a finding for recovery totaling $19,898 when a severance payment was mistakenly issued.

After 33 years of service, on September 13, 2019, Randy Feakins, a Township Fire Fighter, retired from Carlisle Township. On October 11, 2019, Mr. Feakins incorrectly received a severance payout totaling $19,898. Per the terms of the Union Contract, Mr. Feakins did not have enough sick leave hours available for this payout. The Union Contract states that 2,160 hours are needed for a payout; however, Mr. Feakins only had a balance of 1,775 hours.

A finding for recovery was issued against Randy Feakins, former Township Fire Fighter, in the amount of $19,898, in favor of the Township’s special revenue fund.

The Township’s Fiscal Officer, Kim Fallon, who processed and issued the illegal severance overpayment to Mr. Feakins, and her bonding company the Travelers Casualty and Surety Company of America and the Township’s Board of Trustees, Barry Taylor, James Wright and Jared Smith, who approved the illegal severance overpayment to Mr. Feakins, and their Bonding Company, the Ohio Township Association Risk Management Authority, are jointly and severally liable in the amount of $19,898 in favor of the Township’s special revenue fund in the event recovery is not obtained from Mr. Feakins.

A full copy of this report is available 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 6,000 state and local government agencies. Under the direction of Auditor Keith Faber, the office also provides financial services to local governments, investigates and prevents fraud in public agencies, and promotes transparency in government.