Mismanagement of Funds, Boss Tweed Style

The Boss Tweed School

If you don't know who Boss Tweed was, below is a short video from Forgotten History on YouTube (a wonderful channel of actual history).

Bryan Heck isn't smart enough to wield all this power on his own, of course. It takes an entire Clark County and Springfield history to create it.

But you will find the similarities astounding!! Heck's even thrown in the fire! But no axes (so far).

The Entire Country Should Demand a Refund from Bryan Heck

Coming and Going Salaries

Two City Managers in 2019

In 2019, we paid salaries to two City Managers, Heck and Bodenmiller, totaling $263,726. Bodenmiller retired January 31, 2019, but still earned a salary of $137,014 that year. Heck also received a full year's salary at $126, 712.

No further information about these amounts, but there's more to the story related to the following overlap:

Two Fire Chiefs in 2023

In 2023, we paid salaries to two Fire Chiefs, Miller and King, from June 1st to December 31st, 2023, totaling $154,667 for 6 months. The first six months of Miller's last days, he earned $83,942. So for 2023, we paid two fire chiefs $238,609.

Miller's 2023 salary (the new Fire Chief started June 1, 2023) was $167,884. His salary in 2022 was $142,007.

King's 2023 salary was $70,725, because he was hired on June 1, 2023.

I was told that Miller wasn't paid a full year's salary, he was paid for half the year, then reimbursed for 2,800 hours of sick time that he had accumulated over his career.

Section 185.10 of the City Charter (see below) separates salaried and full-time employees sick time accrual, but the numbers come out the same: 9.2 hours of sick time accrues each month.

To accrue 2,800 hours of sick time, a person would have to save every hour for 304 months or 25.33 years.

Miller worked until the end of May 2023 (King took over June 1). Using his 2022 salary of $142,007, his monthly pay would be around $11,883 per month or $73.95 per hour. So, January through May = $59,415. So, 2,800 hours of sick time minus the 300 in the Charter = 2,500 times the 62.5% equals 1,562 hours of pay he was owed when he left. At $73.95 = $115,547. For a total of $174,962.

Can you imagine getting $115K for unused sick pay? I guess we got a bargain since we only paid him $167,884.

If you believe the man never took a sick day in 25.33 years. Thus, the rub....

According to the City Charter:
CODIFIED ORDINANCES OF SPRINGFIELD
PART ONE--ADMINISTRATIVE CODE
TITLE NINE--Employment Provisions
Chap. 185. Fringe Benefits.

Section 185.10 SICK LEAVE ACCRUAL.
Each full time employee shall accrue sick leave at the rate of .0575 hours for each hour in paid status. Salaried employees shall accrue sick leave at the rate of 4.6 hours per pay period.

Section 185.13 UNUSED SICK LEAVE.
(a) An employee who retires or otherwise terminates employment in any manner except by discharge for cause or death and who on such termination date has been in the employ of the City of Springfield for a period of ten years or more, having accumulated over 300 hours of sick leave, shall be paid sixty two and one-half percent (62.5%) for all accumulated sick leave in excess of 300 hours.

Yes, Virginia. There is a Tesla.

In 2021, Link to Page

Around these parts, federal and state funds are viewed and referred to as "free money". Fiscally responsible because he's not using local money.

I imagine, since it's just 3 years old at the time I'm writing this, that it remains. I can't imagine a 3-year-old Tesla needing to be replaced yet. Especially considering it's just taken out for joy rides and trips between here and Wright Patt by Franzen, Heck, McDorman, Nauseef (the JobsOhio CEO), etc.

At least it has a nice warm home in the NAAMCE.

Of Course This Isn't Mismanagement of Funds

What Heck has been doing since becoming City Manager in 2019 isn't just mismanagement of funds anymore, in my opinion, it's criminal. Granted, he has rulers from higher up, too, but he is the ONE who controls the money. He's not the smartest tool in the shed (there are so many tools here), and he feigns incompetence and ignorance (I don't know, I don't have that data, I'll have to have Logan Cobbs look into that), but he absolutely knows what he's done and doing with other people's money. Thus the doubling of Katie Eviston's salary in from 2019-2023 and the hiring of more Assistant Finance Directors and Accountants and Analysts and Supervisors. They have FOUR slices in the pie chart of funds. I think it's 60% or 80% that go into "public safety" or "general" fund - they switch back and forth depending on the discussion topic, which is where he readily admits to putting most everything. And public safety isn't just for the police and fire, as one would think. Again, it's "general". As in comingled.

Paris and London and Mysterious Weekends in Texas

Link to Paris page

City Vehicles Spotted All Over the Region

City employee vehicle use in Springfield, Ohio, generally requires vehicles to be for public business only, with strict rules against personal use, often requiring specific authorization for deviations like overnight stays or out-of-state trips, and ensuring vehicles are properly marked as city property, reflecting state laws (ORC 307.42) and local policies for accountability and safety.

Key Guidelines & Regulations:

• Public Business Only: The fundamental rule is that city vehicles, like those in many Ohio municipalities, are for official duties, not personal errands.

• Marked Vehicles: Ohio law (Ohio Revised Code 307.42) requires county vehicles (city vehicles often follow similar principles) to be clearly lettered as public property.

• No Unauthorized Passengers: Generally, only authorized city employees can operate or ride in city vehicles.

• No Smoking/Personal Use: Policies often prohibit smoking in city vehicles and strictly limit personal use without mayoral or designee approval.

• Overnight/Out-of-State Travel: Taking vehicles home overnight or out-of-state usually needs special approval for specific reasons (like early departures or safety concerns) and ensures proper insurance, according to practices seen in similar Ohio cities.