For Immediate Release:                                                      

June 8, 2021                                                               

$14,085 in Late Fees Result in Mantua Township Finding for Recovery 

Columbus – Auditor of State Keith Faber’s Office released the 2018-2019 financial audit of Mantua Township in Portage County. The audit included a finding for recovery totaling $14,085 as a result of late fees and penalties.

The Township's former Fiscal Officer, Jodie Thompson, withheld, as required, federal income tax, Medicare, state income tax, local income tax, and Ohio Public Employees Retirement System (OPERS) contributions from the earnings of each Township employee. However, Thompson failed to transmit required funds to the appropriate entity, agency, or system in a timely manner. For tax periods between September 30, 2016 to December 31, 2018, the Township paid $13,249 for failure to pay penalties, failure to file penalties, failure to make tax deposit penalties, and interest. Additionally, for tax year 2018, the Township paid $836 in Penalties and Interest on the State Income Tax Withholding remittances

The penalties and interest incurred by the Township served no proper public purpose and could have been avoided had the funds been remitted timely as required by law.

A finding for recovery was issued against former Fiscal Officer Jodie Thompson and her bonding company, the Travelers Casualty and Surety Company of America, jointly and severally, for $14,085 in favor of Mantua Township's General Fund.

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.