The city of Uhrichsville is in a financial bind and are expected to hold a special meeting.
The former elected auditor Michael Maurer left office in 2024 due to health reasons and passed away roughly a month later.
Mayor Jim Zucal appointed Jeryl McGaffick to the role but she left soon after the 2026 budget was approved. Kristy Sullivan was then appointed but in less than a month she resigned. It’s been two weeks since she left office, and the city has not been able to pay bills.
“We do have a payroll clerk and she’s willing to pay bills but she wants compensated for that. We don’t pay our bills we’ll soon become delinquent and when we become delinquent the state auditor writes us up for that.”
Law Director Jeff Merklin made clear that the city couldn’t just okay a pay increase.
“You can, for city’s under 20-thousand, you can merge the office of auditor with another office. I want to make sure you do it right. You can’t just tell her to do it. Those offices have to merge. You don’t have to be a CPA but you can’t just have someone do it if they’re not authorized by the council.”
Zucal says the clerk does not want to be the auditor. What administration called payroll clerk is listed on the city’s website as assistant auditor. A special council meeting on May 4th at 6:30pm is expected to see the vote to merging the position until a new auditor is appointed.
The mayor says he is in the process of trying to find a new auditor, since Maurer was elected as an independent. The position will be back on the ballot next year.
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