Findings for recovery – partially repaid under audit – issued against Fayette County Village of Octa officials

COLUMBUS — Findings for recovery totaling $4,333.43 were issued this week against Village of Octa employees and officials over late fees and improper compensation.

A total of $1,535 was repaid under audit, leaving an outstanding balance of $2,798.43 identified as part of an audit of the Fayette County village’s finances from Jan. 1, 2022, through Dec. 31, 2023.

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

The largest of the findings was against former Fiscal Officer Penny Johnson for $2,798.43 for fees, penalties and interest for late remittances of federal and state taxes and pension system withholdings.

Auditors noted, “The late fees, penalties and interest paid by the village that were incurred as a result of gross negligence serve no proper public purpose and could have been avoided had the withholdings been paid in a timely manner.”

Johnson and her bonding company are jointly and severally liable for the total.

Other findings, which were repaid, included a total of $1,400 against seven Village Council members for overpayments for meeting attendance and $135 against an employee for erroneous overtime payments.