Addyston bookkeeping a “train wreck”

Ohio's state auditor slammed a small village just west of Cincinnati Tuesday, saying an examination of the finances there showed "a concerning lack of effort."

Ohio Auditor Keith Faber said Addyston's financial engagement report from 2018 and 2019 found 42 instances of record-keeping issues.

The report noted that on several occasions the proper withholdings were not taken out of the pay of village employees. It also said the problems led to late fees to state public employee retirement funds, the Internal Revenue Service and a credit card company.

“The Village should be ashamed of this audit report,” Faber said. “To have over 40 findings that show a complete disregard for the law and the financial wellbeing of the community is a disappointment to say the least.”

Addyston and its 930 residents border Cincinnati. The town sits on the Ohio River and has historically struggled since the flood of 1937 which damaged much of the village. This year, Hamilton County began working with Addyston leaders to improve the housing stock there. 

In March, the village found itself in the headlines when its former police chief, Dorian LaCourse, was federally indicted. LaCourse is accused of using his position to help two gun dealers "acquire hundreds of machine guns," prosecutors said.

As for the village finances, some of the employees are responsible for repayments many of which are less than $1,000. But Village Clerk Margaret Ann Dozier and her bonding company, Public Entities Pool of Ohio, are responsible for paying more than $11,000 related to penalties the village initially paid.