By Brian Massie, A Watchman on the Wall
Our mission is to shine light into the darkness so that the average taxpayer, who is slowly but surely being priced out of their homes with the ever-increasing property taxes, can determine if the taxing authorities are being good stewards of the property taxes they receive.
There has been a change in the Auburn Career Center Board of Trustees that we believe needs to be exposed in its own article. When we were made aware of the change, we sent a public records request to Ms. Sherry Williamson, Treasurer / CFO, at the Auburn Career Center to verify the change.
Here is what she sent to us:
Here are their reasons for the redactions:
“Pursuant to your request of April 25, 2024, at 9:20 a.m., attached please find the only public record responsive to your public record request as redacted (R.C. 149.43(A)(13) and (B)(1)). Please be advised that Redactions A and B contain private email information does not document the organization, functions, policies, decisions, procedures, operations, or other activities of the office. See, generally, Ohio Sunshine Laws 2024: An Open Government Resource Manual at 2-3, 7, 72, and 75 (explaining the same). Please be further advised that Redactions C-E contain exempt confidential attorney-client and executive session information. See, generally, Ohio Sunshine Laws 2024: An Open Government Resource Manual at 42-43, 124-126 (exempting the same).”
Sherry L. Williamson
Treasurer/CFO
8221 Auburn Road
Concord Township, OH 44077
E-mail: swilliamson@auburncc.org
440-358-8006 Office
440-357-0310 Fax
Subsequent to our public record request, we received the following resignation letter of Board member, Mr. Paul Stefanko:
Roger and Brian,
After much consideration I have decided to resign my position immediately on the Auburn Board of Trustees.
My recent request for financial numbers regarding the CATA lawsuit was refused by the Treasurer because it would result in a record that could be requested by the public. I find this response to be unethical and will not be a part of intentionally withholding information from the public. I cannot and will not be a party to this type of behavior from anyone, especially those who are entrusted to be good stewards of taxpayers money.
I have informed Mike Hanlon of my decision and he will be requesting my replacement to the Auburn Board directly.
Up until this terrible situation I have always supported Auburn and held all of the staff in high regard. I will sincerely miss Auburn, but I have always believed that if you do not stand for something, then you will fall for anything. This is unacceptable to me as a representative of the Chardon Local School district and cannot continue to serve in this capacity and under these circumstances.
I wish you all the best in the future.
Sincerely
Paul Stefanko
We have been informed that Mr. Todd Albright will be the new replacement on the Auburn Career Center’s Board of Trustees.
Here is the Schedule A from the Lake County Auditor’s office detailing the property taxes collected for Auburn from the Lake County taxpayers. Geauga taxpayers are also contributing to Auburn’s property tax revenue.
We will let our readers determine if Auburn’s administration and Board of Trustees have been good stewards of the taxpayers’ property taxes. Unfortunately, even if you think that they have squandered our money, [spending $3.0 million to solve a $144,000 claim] there is nothing that you can do about it because their property tax revenue will be collected forever because their tax levy is continuous. Therefore, they do not have to be accountable to the taxpayers, and operate without any consequences.
No politician has our back! Lest you forget, let former State Representative and Lake County Commissioner Ron Young remind you of the two top priorities of any politician and government:
This is why we are adamantly opposed to any politician that supports “continuous” levies, and we automatically vote NO on all continuous (forever) property tax levies.
Categories: Lake, Lake County - General, Ohio Counties, Uncategorized