Fire chief
Nelson, a firm that specializes in human resources to investigate the allegations against Galloway. The trustees had scheduled the special Saturday meeting to get an update from consultant Ryan Woodward.
Galloway’s attorney Elizabeth Tuck said they won’t have any further comments.
“I know that the state auditor will clear me of any wrongdoing once its investigation is over, I have been outspoken that if anything was done improperly I was not the person responsible,” Galloway wrote. “I hope that my wife can retain her job without pay back for me defending myself from the attacks on my job and reputation. The emotional toll of the false allegations has taken on my wife and me is already overwhelming. This was the only option for me to protect me, my family and my career.”
Chief Assistant Butler County Prosecutor Dan Ferguson explained why Woodward’s investigation is over.
“The investigation that would have determined his employment status has been cut short because Mr. Galloway turned in his resignation,” Ferguson said. “And the auditor’s investigation is ongoing.”
Township resident Kevin Dye “blindsided” the trustees in September with allegations against Galloway, accusing him of double-dipping his salary, nepotism and impermissibly holding a dual role at the township.
He said Galloway was paid his regular $93,000 annual salary and also received pay the township was reimbursed by the state of Louisiana when the chief was deployed with the Ohio Emergency Management Agency to help with Hurricane Ida last year.
The township sent an invoice to the Emergency Management Assistance Compact for $22,309 and the document was signed by Galloway’s wife Penny, who is a captain for the fire department, which is another bone of contention. The township received the reimbursement and it was deposited into the fire fund.
Records obtained by the Journal-News show Galloway received his regular bi-weekly paychecks for $2,557 for Sept. 5 through Sept. 18 and Sept. 19 through Oct. 2 as usual. Then another direct deposit for $5,313 for hourly and overtime wages for the first pay period and $3,456 net for the second. He was in Louisiana from Sept. 10-24 and worked a total of 88 regular hours and 138 of overtime.
When local jurisdictions send their people to assist with national emergencies like hurricanes, wildfires and floods the state where the disaster happened pays for time and expenses.
Dye told the trustees previously he had been advised to contact the Ohio Auditor’s Office and Ethics Commission. A partially redacted complaint has been filed with Ohio Auditor Keith Faber’s office and it states Galloway “has stolen $5,809 in public funds that were intended for the township.”
“It is my strong belief that the Chief has defrauded the community of significantly more money...,” the email dated Sept. 13 reads. “Additionally, I have a real concern that based on his position as administrator, he will take steps to destroy documentation of his past crimes to avoid prosecution.”
A spokesman for the state auditor told the Journal-News, “Our Special Investigations Unit is continuing its investigation. We have no further comment at this time on this continuing investigation.
Trustee Darryl Huff told the Journal-News Penny Galloway’s job is safe while the state auditor’s investigation is ongoing. He said Assistant Chief Jeffrey Griffith is now in charge.
“We just want to go on, we want to start looking for a new chief and get our department back in gear,” Huff said.
The resolution also notes the township will record the fact Galloway has accrued 659.27 hours in sick leave carried over from his time as director of the Butler County Emergency Management Agency. Huff told the Journal-News the township doesn’t pay sick leave, so Galloway won’t receive any money, the hours would just transfer if Galloway obtains another government job.
“We don’t give sick time or comp time for salaried employees,” Huff said. “Now if he goes to another public job of some kind those hours will transfer to them .... we don’t pay him anything.”
Galloway’s contract with the township is approved annually and Huff said he would have asked his fellow trustees to consider canceling it anyway this year because they can’t afford him. When he was hired as fire chief in 2015, his salary was $75,000.
“As far as fire chief he did his job excellent but when it came to ... the situation as far as going somewhere else and working, I wasn’t happy from the beginning with the amount of money we were paying him,” Huff said. “I kept saying it was too much, Morgan Twp.’s a small community I don’t think it was within reason to pay one person that much money.”
Dye could not be reached for comment.
Galloway is the third Butler County public official to be accused of wrongdoing this year. Butler County Auditor Roger Reynolds is under indictment for bribery and using his office for personal gain. He faces up to seven years in prison if found guilty on all counts. His trial is scheduled to start today, Dec. 12.
Madison Twp. Trustee Alan Daniel was also indicted on seven charges he has misused his office.