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Home > Blogs > Butler County News and Issues > Archives > 2010 > April > 02 > Entry
County attorneys at odds over flexible spending deal
First, the story:
Over loud protests from one commissioner, the Butler County Prosecutor’s Office is advising that the county’s payments to two vendors are legit.
In a letter dated March 19, county Prosecutor Robin Piper denies a request from Commissioner Charles Furmon for attorney general’s opinions on the matters.
Furmon has expressed concerns that the county didn’t put up for bid a pay study he opposes, and has no contract with a company — owned by West Chester Twp. Trustee George Lang — that administers flexible spending accounts for county workers.
Piper’s 12-page letter reaffirms earlier opinions that there’s no problem with the deals. It says the $100,000-plus pay study is being done by a “consultant,” so it doesn’t require bidding.
As for the dealing with Lang’s company, Piper points out that Furmon himself voted to bring them in and voted to pay them.
Furmon says the details of the deal with Lang’s company were obscure, and said he’ll do whatever he can to stall or stop any further payments to the two companies.
“My only recourse I have now is to ask for a resolution to make sure we don’t pay anything further on those two,” Furmon said.
Piper’s letter runs contrary to another 12-page memo assembled by Gary Sheets, the commissioners’ in-house attorney.
Sheets cites several perceived “legal issues” with the flexible spending account procedure, including that the terms of the deal were changed after the vote to hire the company.
Piper’s letter is critical of Sheets: “Your legal advice would best come from us,” it says, “not the employee attorney under your control.”
It’s worth noting that Lang insists the company Hauser Corporate Solutions that the county has been paying is not his. He says he bid on the flexible spending deal, the county didn’t agree to his terms, so he passed the whole thing over to Hauser. In other words, he says he no longer has anything to do with the county’s flexible spending plan.
Now, here is Piper’s opinion on this issue, and on a pay study that Furmon has criticized as having no contract (note the opinion is peppered with notes about the Dynus and NORMAP controversies).
And here is a differing opinion from Gary Sheets, the attorney who works directly for commissioners (and who Piper criticizes in his letter above):
What do you think?
Permalink | Comments (8) | Post your comment | Categories: County Commission
Comments
By Tom
April 2, 2010 2:57 PM | Link to this
Chuck Furhmon has to go. He wastes money on wanting to give raises to his friends (i.e. records department), and he goes after his enemies with political trumped up charges. It’s pretty bad when it’s not clear who would have been worse for our county - Chuck or Rawnica.
By dirty sheets
April 2, 2010 8:29 PM | Link to this
Gary Sheets hides in his little office, paperwork is fed under the door and opinions are rendered back according to how much longer he wants to be employed. Just look at how many no-bid contracts he approved for Cincinnati Bell. The same company Furman approved a $250,000 incentive with taxpayer money with NO strings accountability. Sheets put his blessing on that deal so whats the big deal.
By sick of it all
April 3, 2010 12:04 AM | Link to this
gee, wonder why our county is so strapped for cash. overpaid employees giving contracts to their friends/buddies who are overpaid……I am NEVER voting for another levy for ANYTHING!!!!
By Tim
April 3, 2010 9:08 PM | Link to this
Gary Sheets covered Furmon’s butt for years. Furmon has given away millions and Sheets writes legal opinions to help him do it. ..Piper needs to put a stop to Furmon and Sheets… after all Piper is the only real Prosecutor by Ohio law.
By Tim
April 3, 2010 9:08 PM | Link to this
Gary Sheets covered Furmon’s butt for years. Furmon has given away millions and Sheets writes legal opinions to help him do it. ..Piper needs to put a stop to Furmon and Sheets… after all Piper is the only real Prosecutor by Ohio law.
By Betty
April 5, 2010 9:33 AM | Link to this
Robin Piper is just saying whatever Don Dixon tells him. Just more good old boy politics. With two differing opinions here why not ask the state AG?
By Allen
April 5, 2010 9:52 AM | Link to this
I do recall Don Dixon insisting that everything be bid inorder to save money. Why the change Don?
By peg
April 5, 2010 5:49 PM | Link to this
Chuck….. did not have to bid then son in law raises when he took him from a $19,000.00 meter reader to a $80,000.00 hall monitor in just a few short of years.