Reynolds worked for the Dayton-based company as a finance director from 2006 until shortly after he took over the auditor’s office last year. He lists the company as a source of income on his financial disclosure statement filed with the Ohio Ethics Commission in March.
Reynolds said he didn’t report to Oswald — “He was not the guy that was paying me,” he said — and hired him because he was the most qualified for a much needed position.
“I found the guy that I wanted and once I identified the person that fit the need, we made the decision to move forward with him,” he said. “There was no need to wait.”
The job listing — posted in county buildings and on the county Web site — solicited applications from Sept. 21 to Oct. 9.
Reynolds said he followed through on his pledge to advertise all open positions, though he didn’t interview the other two people who applied for the job, and stopped taking applications early.
Reynolds made that pledge shortly after taking over the office from Kay Rogers, who resigned last year after pleading guilty to federal bank fraud charges.
At that point, Reynolds said, the office was “clearly in a mess.” He said he knows Oswald’s salary “seems high, but to get a high-end executive to help get this office back on track was the right decision.”
Hiring draws criticism amid county budget woes
Reynolds’ high-dollar hire of an office director has drawn criticism from some fellow officeholders as the county looks at ways to trim its budget in the face of a $6.6 million budget deficit next year.
“I think that a few of the officeholders are concerned with the new hire coming in at that level of salary while our budget work group is looking at ways to bring those top salaries down,” said Clerk of Courts Cindy Carpenter, who is a candidate for county commission next year.
Reynolds said the newly created position “is definitely necessary to take on the challenges we have in here, which is an overhaul of the office, of the entire office.”
Jim Oswald — former president of a company Reynolds used to work for — was hired Sept. 30 as an executive director, nine days before the window to submit resumes closed.
His starting salary is $99,499, according to county records. Reynolds said that is less than that of a deputy auditor he never replaced.
The job description includes overseeing much of the roughly 50-person office, which has shrunk in size through layoffs and attrition to save money since Reynolds took over.
“The guy is top notch. He’s a military academy graduate with honors, held the rank of lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Air Force, has been a high-end consultant professionally. He is exactly what this county needs,” Reynolds said.
“We need some more Jim Oswalds.”
Reynolds took the post last year amid heightened concerns of nepotism and patronage in county government. The Ohio Ethics Commission had confirmed ongoing investigations into what role, if any, a county administrator and commissioner had played in securing raises for family members.
“I’m going to advertise positions and hire the most qualified,” Reynolds said shortly after being appointed to replace former auditor Kay Rogers, who resigned after pleading guilty to bank fraud charges. “That’s the least I can do to ensure we hire quality people working in the Butler County auditor’s office.”
Reynolds has been elected by voters since his appointment, and says he has stuck to that pledge. “My point is, I’m going to hire the most qualified people to do the work,” he said. “I’m not going to hire the uncles, the soccer coaches, the daughter’s boyfriends, the neighbors. I’m not going to do that.”
He said his office still has no formal hiring policy, which is one of the things he wants Oswald to help create.
Contact this reporter at (513) 820-2175 or jsweigart@coxohio.com.
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