MANSFIELD — The Richland County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday unanimously approved a joint statement supporting a state finding for financial recovery against the former executive director of the local Job & Family Services office.
It was the first time the three-member board has met in public session since Ohio Auditor Keith Faber issued a statement July 2 claiming former Richland County Job & Family Services Executive Director Sharlene Neumann owes the government $16,614 after allegedly being paid for more than 350 hours that she didn’t actually work.
Neumann denied the claims during a phone call with Richland Source that same day, stating the allegations against her and subsequent investigation were the result of “dirty politics.”
In the statement approved by commissioners Darrell Banks, Tony Vero and Cliff Mears, the trio said, “The Board of Commissioners believes this finding for recovery to be in the best interest of preserving and protecting the public trust.”
“More information is available through public records request directly to the Auditor of State for the complete investigative file on this matter,” the statement said.
(Below is a PDF with a statement issued by Richland County commissioners on Tuesday regarding a finding-for-recovery issued by Ohio Auditor Keith Faber against former local JFS Director Sharlene Neumann.)
Richland Source filed a public request July 3 for a copy of the investigative file with Faber’s office, but had not obtained it as of Tuesday afternoon.
According to the statement approved Tuesday, commissioners contacted Faber’s office in 2022 to report “potential theft of time by Ms. Neumann, as well as potential conflict-of-interest violations involving Ms. Neumann, former Youth and Family Council Executive Director Teresa Alt, and former JFS Business Administrator Carmen Torrence.”
“After the completion of an investigation into the theft of time allegations, summarized in the AOS Special Audit Report, Ms. Neumann resigned from the County in lieu of involuntary discharge in August 2022,” the commissioners’ statement said.
“Thereafter, both Ms. Alt and Ms. Torrence were involuntarily terminated from County employment following the completion of an investigation into the conflict of interest allegations.
“The public is encouraged to inspect the AOS investigative file for a more complete presentation of the facts supporting the finding for recovery and the administrative actions determined necessary by the Board of Commissioners,” according to the statement.
Neumann told Richland Source that she followed the same practices for managing her time and requesting time off during the audit period that she had during her prior years as director.
“In my capacity as Director, for nearly 17 years there was no other reports of discrepancy of hours,” Neumann said.
“I enjoyed flexible working hours as duly approved by the Board of Commissioners, affording me to discretion to establish my own work schedule and patterns, including commencement and cessation times.
“Such flexibility inherently contradicts the accusations leveled against me by the county.”
Neumann singled out Banks in her rebuttal to the state, alleging he was biased against her due to philosophical differences.
“I was a faithful public servant for over 40 years,” Neumann said. “Darrell Banks and I did not agree on how this community needs to be served in terms of people in poverty.
“He wants to reduce government spending and I did not.”
Banks denied that he had any personal grudge against Neumann.
“Prior to the investigation, there wasn’t any problem between her and I that I know of,” he said. “I stand behind what the auditor came up with.”
(Below is a PDF with the report issued July 2 by Ohio Auditor of State Keith Faber.)
Investigation failed to substantiate alleged conflict-of-interest claims
Neumann’s career with Richland County JFS began in 1981, when she was hired as a social worker. She was later promoted to program administrator for public assistance programs.
She became the agency’s director in 2005. She retired effective Nov. 30, 2021, but was rehired by the county as director effective Dec. 1, 2021.
Neumann abruptly resigned in August 2022. The investigation began in October 2022.
County officials also alleged possible conflict of interest violations by Neumann, Alt and Torrence.
“Ms. Neumann’s husband was identified as connected to two companies with potential relationships with the County, Heartland Academy and The Reach. There were concerns
Ms. Neumann used her position and influence at the JFS to secure County contracts and potentially items of value with these companies,” Faber’s office said in the July 2 statement.
“Additionally, it was alleged, Ms. Alt and Ms. Torrence authorized improper payments, including a payment to Ms. Neumann’s daughter in law, while Ms. Torrence was concurrently the Fiscal Officer for both Heartland Academy and The Reach. County officials provided documentation related to an internal investigation completed by the County,” according to the audit.
Alt had worked for the agency as executive director of the youth and family council since 2011. Torrence had worked for the county since 2001 and became the agency’s business manager and fiscal officer in 2004.
She was also the fiscal for the county’s youth and family council, workforce investment board and chief financial officer for third party vendors Heartland Academy and The Reach.
With regards to conflict allegations against Alt, the auditor said:
“During October 2021, a party was held to celebrate Ms. Neumann’s 40 years of service. Ms. Alt authorized the payment of specialty t-shirts and cupcakes for the celebration. The County paid $480 for the t-shirts and cupcakes.
“Additionally, the cupcakes were purchased from Ms. Neumann’s daughter-in-law. This activity is not a proper public purpose use of County funds and in the future similar activity could result in a finding for recovery,” according to the state auditor.
However, the audit was unable to substantiate other conflict of interest claims.
“In determining whether contracts or potential items value were properly executed related to the REACH and Heartland Academy, and whether a conflict of interest existed, we were unable to substantiate whether Ms. Neumann, Ms. Alt and Ms. Torrence used their influence or authority to benefit family and a related party,” the audit states.
According to the audit, the county started doing business with The Reach, Inc. in 2016 for speech therapy services, including the use of Augmentative Communication Devices.
That contract and all subsequent contracts were signed by the superintendent of the Richland County Board of Developmental Disabilities and the owner/president of The Reach. Torrence processed the payments.
The audit also states the county did not have a contract with Heartland Academy and no payments were made from the county to Heartland Academy.
“While questionable items were approved for the benefit of The Reach and Heartland Academy, we were unable to identify sufficient evidence of a conflict,” the auditor’s report said.
(Richland Source reporter Katie Ellington Serrao contributed to this report.)
