The trustees would be taking a leadership role in the northwest township of about 6,700 people after several years of problems flagged in state audits, and disputes between sitting members.
Jefferson Twp. overpaid severances by more than $3,000, according to the 2020 financial audit shared in August 2021 by the Ohio Auditor of State. This included extra severance paid to former employees, and no indication that township trustees reviewed and approved the payment.
The audit also found problems with how township meeting minutes are kept, minute deficiencies and weaknesses related to financial paperwork misstatements.
As of the 2020 audit, the township also hadn’t fully corrected previous issues that auditors found, including problems related to financial statement errors, proper encumbering of expenditures, budgetary information in an accounting system and minute deficiencies, according to the auditor’s office.
For 2016-2018, Ohio Auditor Keith Faber issued multiple findings against Jefferson Twp. in an audit, including improper use of road, fire and lighting funds to pay salaries of trustees and the fiscal officer.
Trustee Mike McLaughlin said one thing that defines him as a trustee is he doesn’t give up.
He said his desire to serve the community outweighs the stress from the job. He built experience as a trustee of the water board before first running for the township trustee position.
He described significant tensions between himself and the other two board members -- there’s an ongoing lawsuit McLaughlin filed in 2020 accusing candidate Mann as well as trustee James McGuire and township administrator of violating Sunshine Laws, which require public transparency. They have filed court documents saying the accusations aren’t true and the lawsuit is still ongoing. Mann, when interviewed about his candidacy, declined to talk about the lawsuit.
“I feel like I’m an island by myself against these other two,” McLaughlin said.
McLaughlin said one of the biggest assets he brings to the board is his value for transparency.
“I want the residents to know what we’re doing and feel free to ask me questions,” McLaughlin said.
McLaughlin said it is important for me that trustees know the rules, and follow procedure for payments, and be open with the public about decisions they make.
Shelia Back would be new to the board if elected, but is not new to community leadership.
Back said she was born and raised in Jefferson Twp. and has long been civically involved. The township used to have Jefferson Twp. Day and block parties when she was growing up, which prompted her to organize a block party to bring back that experience.
She is the founder of the Neighborhood Association of Jefferson Twp. Back said she started it as a neighborhood watch originally, and it grew into an organization to bring the community together for holiday events, yard sales and more.
Back said if she was elected she would bring her skills in networking, which she has built over the years with calling elected officials and other officials about community issues.
“I’m motivated. I’m driven. I care about Jefferson Twp., with relationships with many of the people that live here. I know I can make a difference,” Back said.
She has attended trustee township meetings for several years and said she is up-to-date on the issues the trustees and township are facing.
Back said with her experience as a case manager with Montgomery County, she had demonstrated that she knows the importance of following policies and procedures correctly, which is a problem that has been flagged with the current government during audits.
Incumbent trustee Roy Mann Sr., said is running again to continue work on unfinished business during his time so far on the board.
Mann said one priority for the township is to attract more businesses, including by improving water infrastructure to the standard that larger businesses would be seeking.
Mann said another thing that concerns him is that the trustees sometimes vote on items and then the necessary administrative steps to make it happen don’t happen. As a trustee, he said a priority is improving administration.
“We pass a resolution but things don’t get done. That really causes some concerns,” Mann said.
Mann was formerly fire chief and retired in 2010 from the fire department before he ran and was elected to the board of trustees.
“I hope that in the years that I’ve been here, people know what I’ve done and tried to get everything done that we need in order to move forward in the township,” Mann said.
Barnes received messages but did not return calls to the Dayton Daily News for this story.
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