After disputes with the mayor and discussion with the state auditor, Athens City Auditor Kathy Hecht said two of the employees who received raises would have to pay the city back.
After conversations with the State Auditor’s Office and months of dispute between Athens City Auditor Kathy Hecht and Athens Mayor Paul Wiehl, Hecht appeared before Athens City Council on Monday night and said two of the employees who received raises were “overpaid.”
Not only did Hecht bring to light that the employees were overpaid, she added that the pair owed the city a total of $450.
“I just think we’re in an awkward situation that’s been hanging out there for too long,” she said.
Disagreements first arose in mid-January after the auditor’s office approved additional 2 to 4 percent pay raises for employees, even though council had already approved a 1 percent pay increase for non-union employees.
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In mid-March, council passed an ordinance attempting to fill that gap by approving another 1 percent pay increase for other non-union employees who hadn’t already gotten raises.
But Hecht said this left two employees still receiving 2 percent more than other city employees. She said both employees have now been taken off the extra 2 percent pay raise.
Hecht said since the two employees, one male and one female, had two different supervisors, they were treated differently in the fact that one was able to hold on to the raise for longer than the other.
“That is really an (equal opportunity) complaint waiting to be pushed,” she said.
Hecht said that one would owe the city $200 and the other $250, which would be paid through the city’s payroll system.
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“This has not been our past practices ... to not recoup money that was owed to the city,” she said.
Hecht also outlined a plan allowing council to address future issues with overpaid city employees, which would require employees to repay the city only if they were overpaid by an amount greater than $500.
Furthermore, if an entire department is overpaid a total amount greater than $500, individuals in that department also have to pay back that money.
The plan would also require individuals to pay back the money before the end of the year, instead of allowing them to extend their payments out into the next year.
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Councilman Jeff Risner, D-2nd Ward, said he supported a more formalized payback policy, but he was concerned that over time the policy would stop being effective as the administration changed hands.
“I think it’s a good idea. I think it’s good to have a written policy,” he said. “The only problem I have with policies in general is ... over time the corporate memory starts to fade.”
Council members also heard from Bill Walker, a member of the Athens Cemetery Association, regarding the acquisition by the city of the West Union Street Cemetery.
Ohio Revised Code mandates that jurisdiction of cemeteries fall to municipalities if the owners can no longer fund them.
“It has become evident to the trustees that we’re no longer going to be able to have the funds to maintain it,” Walker said.
He said the cemetery trustees currently have between $70,000 and $75,000 that they can transfer to the city in order to further fund the cemetery.
“We’re just looking forward to working with the city in whatever manner (we can),” Walker said.
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