American Idol 2012 finale
News hounds (5/24/12)
Fenwick vs. Felicity
Home > Blogs > Butler County News and Issues > Archives > 2008 > December > 29 > Entry
2008 a year of controversy in county government
The seat of Butler County’s government was shaken more than once in 2008, with several public officials toppled among scandal.
First was Kay Rogers, who had served as county auditor since 1994. Rogers resigned in March after pleading guilty to federal charges of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and mail fraud.
The charges are punishable by up to 30 years in prison. But nearly one year after her guilty plea, she still has not been scheduled a sentencing date.
The charges stem from Rogers’ role in allegedly helping Dynus Corp. secure a $4 million loan in 2005 in the county’s name without commissioners’ approval.
Rogers’ alleged co-conspirators were named in May in an 11-count federal indictment against former Dynus owner Orlando Carter, and unsealed guilty pleas of bank fraud from Dynus President Jim Smith and employee Karin Verbruggen.
Also in May, this paper unveiled an apparent FBI investigation of former county commissioner and current Children Services Director Michael Fox. FBI officials won’t confirm the nature, or even the existence, of the probe. But county officials say the bureau has gathered several different types of records involving Fox.
Another exit this year was Derek Conklin. After serving as county administrator for more than two decades, Conklin resigned in April amid questions from commissioners about whether he played a role in pay raises for his wife, Karen Conklin, a county employee.
This followed a proposed early retirement incentive package crafted in part by Conklin that would cost the county $3.8 million to buy time to retirement for 56 employees. Karen Conklin was one of these employees. She resigned, and the early retirement package was kiboshed, when Derek Conklin stepped down.
At the urging of Democratic party chairman Ron Wardrup — who later resigned after an OVI arrest — the Ohio Ethics Commission launched an investigation.
Wardrup also questioned pay increases given to county Commission President Charles Furmon’s former son-in-law, James Hamblin, a county employee. Hamblin then resigned, though he and Furmon both denied any wrongdoing.
The ethics investigation is ongoing.
What do you think of these developments? Any that I forgot?
Permalink | Comments (1) | Post your comment | Categories: Butler County
Comments
By fred
December 30, 2008 5:54 AM | Link to this
You forgot about how the Butler Co Health Director, Pat Burg, shoved her Director of Nursing. This happened an hour of her returning from one of her gambling trips that she gets to take because she double-dips and the rest of the health department employees get no raises. Her ego is so big that she could not stand the fact that capable employees could plan to give Hepatitis shots to many people without her “input”. Remember Pfchangs? When will she resign and save the county money from her not doing nothing? The health department is better without her.