Village officials’ thefts lead to fiscal emergency

MOUNT STERLING » The state auditor has declared a fiscal emergency in a central Ohio village where he says thefts by former officials have taken a “heavy financial blow.”

The Columbus Dispatch reports Mount Sterling’s budget deficit was $270,000 deficit at the end of April. Auditor Dave Yost says financial problems were “inflicted by corrupt former officials and employees.”

The current mayor of this Madison County village 25 miles southwest of Columbus says daily operations haven’t been affected.

The former village administrator received 10 years in prison in March for stealing around $725,000 between 2012 and 2016. The former mayor and a former administrative assistant were indicted in April on theft in office charges.

The fiscal emergency means a commission appointed by Yost will oversee financial planning for the village.