Fifth fiscal officer since 2017 quits village of Milan post

Reason for departure unknown

MILAN — Let the search begin, again

The Village of Milan’s fiscal officer, Joanne Clapp, is stepping aside — becoming the fifth person to leave the appointed position since 2017, StayTunedSandusky.com has confirmed.

Clapp’s resignation continues a now-familiar pattern of turnover in one of the village’s most critical administrative roles.

Before the cycle of short-term successors began, Mary Bruno served as fiscal officer for 17 years, until she was fired by village council — a move Bruno has long claimed was retaliation for refusing to go along with irregularities involving time cards and other “distressing” financial practices.

A review by the Ohio Auditor of State later found that a classification error had resulted in Bruno being improperly paid for hours she worked under a common practice used by village staff. Since her departure, Milan has undergone two state audits, both of which concluded that some employees were paid for hours they didn’t work, and that others received reimbursements for expenses they weren’t entitled to collect.

There was no disciplinary action taken against those employees by council.

StayTunedSandusky.com filed a public records request on Tuesday seeking Clapp’s resignation letter and a list of those who have served as fiscal officer since Bruno’s termination.

Clapp has not responded to a request for comment.

In the past, Bruno was a vocal critic of village finances and operations, frequently citing what she calls improper payouts and accountability failures. She has twice run unsuccessfully for mayor. When reached for comment on Wednesday, Bruno said village finances are now available online, which has enabled her to get questions answered without having to send as many public records requests.

It is not yet clear why Clapp chose to resign, or what next steps the village will take in filling the vacancy.