An audit report by the Ohio Auditor of State released Tuesday demanded a recovery of funds from an Athens landlord and former Ohio University donor.
In March 2015, the university signed a lease agreement with John Wharton, owner and broker of Ohio Reality, to use a house and adjoining land as residence for former OU President Roderick McDavis.
The agreement stipulated Wharton could bill the university for maintenance and repair expenses. Wharton improperly billed the university $20,449 when he entered a lease agreement with McDavis.
During the course of the lease, the university made payments to Wharton for maintenance and repair expenses it never requested. These payments included deck replacement, sod replacement and other property related expenses, such as a duplicate payment for lawn care supplies and services.
“We must be diligent in ensuring that contracts and lease agreements that involve tax payer dollars leave no room for exploitation or abuse,” Auditor Keith Faber said in the news release. “My staff works hard to identify these problems and protect Ohio tax payers.”
The Ohio Inspector General’s office released a report in September that determined the “appearance of impropriety” in the university’s transactions with an Athens landlord, according to a previous Post report.
The investigation in September found no evidence that the university planned to purchase the residence in exchange for a donation. It also found no truth to an allegation that the university had been referring clients to Wharton.
