Uhrichsville requesting removal of city auditor
UHRICHSVILLE (WJER) (March 18, 2024) – Council is asking the state to begin removal proceedings for Auditor Michael Maurer.
Members took the first step Thursday, unanimously approving a resolution allowing Finance Committee Chairwoman Polly Clark to submit an affidavit and supporting evidence to the Ohio Auditor’s Office. Mayor Jim Zucal says Maurer has been experiencing health issues and is no longer fulfilling his duties but refuses to step down.
“I’ve talked to him and basically told him he was in over his head, and we cannot go down this path of not reconciling [bank accounts]. We’re paying bills in the wrong amounts, to the wrong vendors – huge, huge problems. He was aware of it. We’ve talked about it in my office but he has no willingness to resign.”
This comes after an independent audit of the city’s finances revealed what the resolution describes as ‘significant deficiencies’. Zucal cited one example where the city owed $91 and Maurer paid over $3,000.
“I consider it personally to be malfeasance, misfeasance, and nonfeasance. I’ve shared with you many times the lack of payments, the overpayments, the cost of late fees, the inability to do the job.”
If the state auditor believes there’s merit to the allegations, it will then be up to the Ohio Attorney General’s office to initiate removal proceedings through Tuscarawas County Common Pleas Court. The city can’t just fire Maurer because he’s an elected official.