Columbus, Ohio (February 16, 2024) – A former Hillsboro Municipal Court clerk was overpaid for unused leave time upon her retirement, according to a state audit released Thursday by Ohio Auditor of State Keith Faber.
Diane Seeling, who retired in September 2021, received $46,266 in severance, including payments for unused vacation, sick, and personal leave. However, an audit of the City of Hillsboro’s finances for 2022 found that Seeling should have only received $26,212 for her remaining leave balances, due to city policy requiring employees to use vacation and personal time within a year or forfeit it. This resulted in an overpayment of $20,054.
The revised finding for recovery, lower than the initial $25,357 amount reported in January, holds Seeling and former City Auditor Alex Butler, along with their respective bonding companies, jointly and severally liable for the repayment.
“City policies exist to ensure proper use of taxpayer dollars,” said Auditor Faber. “This audit identified a discrepancy and held individuals accountable.”
The full audit report is available online on the Ohio Auditor of State website.
Key Points:
- Former Hillsboro clerk Diane Seeling overpaid for unused leave upon retirement.
- City policy requires employees to use vacation and personal leave within a year.
- Overpayment amount revised to $20,054.
- Seeling and former City Auditor Alex Butler jointly liable for repayment.
