Finding for Recovery of $8,155.87 Issued Against Valley Township Fiscal Officer over Penalties and Fees from Late Payments

Press Release •Ohio Auditor of State

COLUMBUS - A finding for recovery of $8,155.87 was issued Tuesday against the fiscal officer for Valley Township in Guernsey County, who failed to pay tax and other bills on time, leading to late fees and interest.

Jeffery Miser and his bonding company are jointly and severally liable for the total, which was included in an audit of the township's finances from Jan. 1, 2022, through Dec. 31, 2023.

The full report is available online at ohioauditor.gov/auditsearch/search.aspx.

Among other issues, auditors determined that Miser failed to timely remit tax withholdings and reports, leading to $7,281.27 in penalties, fees, and interest. Additional late fees and finance charges were paid by the township to multiple vendors who were paid past due dates.

Auditors noted, "Late payment fees, penalties, and interest incurred through gross negligence are illegal expenditures (that) do not serve a proper public purpose. These charges would have been avoided had the funds been remitted by the required due dates."

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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 5,900 state and local government agencies. Under the direction of Auditor Keith Faber, the office also provides financial services to local governments, investigates and prevents fraud in public agencies, and promotes transparency in government.

Public Affairs Contact: Marc Kovac [email protected]