News

Columbus – Phantom bus routes submitted through falsified time sheets by a Windham Exempted Village School District bus driver led to a finding for recovery in the district’s audit released today by Auditor of State Dave Yost.

“This is plain, old-fashioned stealing,” Auditor Yost said.  “I’m sending this to the county prosecutor.”

Bus driver Carol Fowler filled out her time sheets to denote that she was making bus routes in the mornings and afternoons to the County Behavioral Unit from February 21, 2011 to May 13, 2011.  The district discovered that she was only making trips to the County Behavioral Unit in the afternoons.  A review of her time sheets revealed that she signed 11 time sheets with 54 morning runs included, and Fowler admitted to the district that she did not perform the morning runs as indicated.  The 54 runs total $1,467.72 that she was overpaid.  The district also paid 14% of this amount for retirement, which is $205.48.  A finding for recovery was issued against Fowler in the total amount of $1,673, in favor of the Windham Exempted Village School District General Fund.

This finding for recovery has been forwarded to the Portage County Prosecutor.

A full copy of this audit may be found 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 5,600 state and local government agencies. Under the direction of Auditor Dave Yost, the office also provides financial services to local governments, investigates and prevents fraud in public agencies and promotes transparency in government.

Contact:
Carrie Bartunek
Press Secretary
(614) 728-7198