City failed to notice theft for years
By Josh Sweigart, Dayton Daily News, Ohio | |
McClatchy-Tribune Information Services |
Former law department executive secretary Christen Turner was indicted Thursday along with eight alleged co-conspirators on charges that she authorized 146 checks totaling
A log of claims against the city obtained by the
The total
All of the money came from the same fund, which has an annual budget of
Moral obligation claims are made by people who suffered injury or property damage because of the city's actions. Most claims are for property damage, such as a garbage truck hitting a mail box or a gutter on an alley.
To make a claim, a resident must fill out a form called a "claim statement form" with a detailed description of what happened and insurance forms or other proof of the damage and its cost.
"We use our judgment and the law to determine what the damages were and to see if we can get the other person to agree to that," said city law director
If the person agrees, the city cuts a check. In return, the claimant agrees to not sue the city.
The city law director can authorize payments up to
In 2009, the law director gave Turner authority to requisition checks from the city finance department for approved payments of less than
The majority of claims that were properly approved were for less than
Turner herself filed a claim in 2007 asking the city for
City records do not include claim statement forms or claim records for the payments Turner is accused of wrongfully issuing to friends, suggesting those payments did not go through the claims process.
The city reportedly learned of Turner's actions when another city employee noticed a check was being written to someone the employee knew was a friend of Turner's.
City officials won't comment on the Turner case. They have said the form authorizing the city to write a check used to require only one signature -- such as Turner's -- but now requires two. This change was made after Turner was fired in December.
Other changes include that all payments are tracked in a monthly report that's reviewed by the city finance director and city manager.
Turner is due in court Tuesday. Prosecutors are pushing for bail to be set at
"These crimes were committed over and over again, misusing the trust given to her by the city of
___
(c)2014 the Dayton Daily News (Dayton, Ohio)
Visit the Dayton Daily News (Dayton, Ohio) at www.daytondailynews.com
Distributed by MCT Information Services
Wordcount: | 719 |
Advisor News
Annuity News
Health/Employee Benefits News
Life Insurance News