Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Legal Ethics topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Trumbull County approves outside counsel for auditor in fraud dispute after 2–1 vote
Summary
The county commissioners voted 2–1 to authorize joining the prosecutor to appoint outside counsel for the Trumbull County Auditor in litigation over alleged fraud and redirected funds; one commissioner objected that county resources should not cover the auditor’s legal fees, citing Auditor of State guidance.
The Trumbull County Board of Commissioners voted to join with the county prosecutor to petition the Court of Common Pleas to appoint attorney Aaron Glasgow of Isaac Wiles & Burkholder LLC to provide legal counsel to the county auditor in litigation concerning alleged fraud and funds transferred to Bezzetta Township. The motion passed by roll call with two commissioners in favor and one opposed.
Commissioner Nikki Frenchko objected to using county funds to defend the auditor, citing an Auditor of State bulletin that warns employees may be liable for payment-redirect schemes and urging that the auditor pay personally if negligence occurred. "If it's something that we are actually looking at, ... she is responsible for the payment, why are we paying to defend this out of our County resources?" Frenchko said during debate.
Supporters said the prosecutor’s office faces a conflict of interest representing both the township and the auditor, making outside counsel necessary to ensure independent legal representation in complex litigation. The appointment will allow Aaron Glasgow and his firm to provide legal research, advice and representation in related litigation at an hourly rate specified in the materials presented to the board.
The board considered, and a commissioner moved from the floor to require the auditor to pay personally pursuant to the Auditor of State bulletin; that floor motion failed for lack of a second.
Why it matters: The action responds to an internal county dispute over alleged fraudulent transfers and clarifies counsel responsibilities when the prosecutor’s office has a conflict. The dissent underscores tension over whether public funds should cover legal defense when staff actions are alleged to be negligent.
What happens next: The board’s authorization allows the prosecutor and commissioners to seek a court appointment of outside counsel. Any resulting litigation and billings will unfold in the court process; the county did not adopt a requirement that the auditor personally pay legal fees.
