From Kim Griner
OUTRAGED, Yes! But I personally was not surprised when State Auditor Dave Yost’s report indicated that former District 27 Fiscal Officer Rosemary Barrett was actually negligent in over $24,000 in undocumented/ misused funds. Originally, she was charged with $10,000, as if that wasn’t bad enough! I remain further outraged she has paid back only$2499 since being found guilty in January-2018. The sentence of three years probation and community service working the Fish Fries (performed at OLG church along with her husband and friends) is hardly punishment. Personally, I work the fish fries for the love of my community, not because a court ordered me to! The slap on the wrist for what now appears to be nearly $25,000 taken from the taxpayers, and District 27 is disgusting! I not only blame Barrett for theft in office, but the judge who sentenced her to this light sentence and the Trustees who tried desperately to cover it up!
How could the six Trustees from Sagamore Hills and Northfield Center, two Township fiscal officers, attorney Jeff Snell and former District 27 Fire Chief Frank Risko overlook such blatant theft in office for four years? Risko assured me personally that he was monitoring the bills the past two years after I made him aware of her taking money from a Local Businessman to buy her food (Inventory) for her local Northfield Center Restaurant!. So – Did he “look” or was he in on it? He certainly didn’t report the suspicious activity! A Northfield Trustee (A personal Friend of the Chief’s ) was made aware that he was taking Personal Valuable gifts while he was the Chief! Did they all turn into BLIND MICE? Sagamore Hills Trustee Dave DePasquale claims in the News Leader he knew something was wrong. Why didn’t he say something then? I personally witnessed him sitting with Rosemary and signing the checks while they were laughing and joking – he didn’t seem all that concerned to me! Northfield Center Trustee Paul Buescher claims he didn’t have time to go over every bill, and that he trusted Barrett. I also witnessed him sitting with Rosemary and Signing the Checks with the stack of bills in front of them. Buescher and DePasquale were there every month to pay the Bills and signed the checks for those Credit Card Bills they claim they did not know existed! That is why they wanted this covered up – they didn’t want anyone to know they signed the checks that paid for the theft! DePasquale would walk in and say “Checks and Balances people – that is why I am here!” Nice Job Mr. DePasquale! Aren’t all these people supposed to be the taxpayers watchdog. What happened to simple accounting measures of checks and balances?. How could Barrett have used the District 27 credit card to pay for trips, hotel bill, college tuition and school supplies, and no one questioned her. I am disgusted in the lack of transparency on both Townships part. Several times my public records request went un answered for weeks. Was this something they thought would just go away, or that I would go away?
I have been screaming from the mountains for months now, that the $10,000 Barrett was charged with initially was only the tip of the iceberg. I feel vindicated now that this has come to light. Maybe you can personally express your opinions to Mrs. Barrett at the next OLG Fish Fry she works as punishment for ripping us off !
