![]() ![]() I will let you know as soon as I have confirmation from Liberty that funding has been identified,” Reynolds wrote. “Liberty is looking at two funding sources for their share of the road improvement. “But the way it was brought up to me in a casual atmosphere in front of people, there was nothing about it that seemed unordinary.”īoyko and she has shared the TIF request with the commissioners, but there has been no discussion. “I saw nothing inappropriate from my standpoint but hindsight being 20/20, I guess I should have thought of that as being a possible issue,” Farrell said. Trustee Board President Tom Farrell said he had a conversation with Reynolds, and he told detectives nothing untoward occurred. Trustees Ann Becker and Lee Wong told the Journal-News they had no communications with Reynolds but the sheriff’s office questioned them. “I said, ‘No, not at all.’ We judge this thing based upon the merit in the township.” “They asked me, ‘Did you feel pressured, was there any indication he was looking for a favor?’” Welch said. ![]() Welch said he told detectives he did not feel “coerced” and there is no “tit for tat” in West Chester. Trustee Mark Welch told the Journal-News they had conversations with Reynolds about the TIF idea, and sheriff’s officials interviewed them. Administrator Kristen Bitonte do not include communication with anyone from Treplus, only Reynolds.Īll three Liberty Twp. The email chains with Boyko and Liberty Twp. Morrell said he is familiar with the project and they “are in the preliminary stages of feasibility study,” so he can’t comment on whether the project can proceed without TIF financing. “Normally we would have meetings with the city or township for the use of public funds,” he said. Patrick Morrell, the land acquisition director for Treplus, said he left about a month and a half ago. The Journal-News reached out to the original development representative Steven Hicks to ask why Reynolds was directly involved with TIF requests, as developers usually deal with governmental entities on their own. “The public roadway improvement is being required for the Red Oak project to move forward.” (Roger) Reynolds and the developer of the Red Oak project to discuss the potential use of Cincinnati-Dayton Road TIF funds to pay for a safety improvement on Hamilton-Mason Road,” West Chester’s Director of Public Information and Engagement Barb Wilson said. Reynolds did not speak during the meeting when the trustees granted approval on April 13 - he was in the audience - but met with staff, along with a representative from the developer Treplus Communities, about the potential TIF arrangement on Aug. Zoning Commission on March 15, but there was no mention of a TIF or if public funds might be used and little discussion about required road improvements. ![]() Reynolds spoke in favor of the Red Oak development that would be built on his father’s land before the West Chester Twp. I plan to ask the ethics department for confirmation.” “All the requests have been made to other offices I don’t serve and have no authority (over). “My understanding of the conflict rules prohibit any ‘official action or making decisions’ by me in the auditor’s office that would personally benefit me or my family,” Reynolds said. Reynolds told the Journal-News he has no power over any other jurisdictions or offices and “obviously it’s the politics that’s going on in the county.” Explore Butler County property tax collections called ‘highest ever,’ pass $560 million The penalty for “use of authority” would be a first-degree misdemeanor punishable by up to a $1,000 fine and/or up to six months in jail. He said there are various penalties for violating ethics laws. But generally, “under the conflict of interest statute, the use of authority could include using your office to try and influence other officeholders.” Ohio Ethics Commission Executive Director Paul Nick told the Journal-News he cannot say whether the Reynolds issue has come before the commission or discuss whether there is a potential conflict of interest. “The sheriff is conducting his investigation and he is providing me with material for review,” Gmoser said. “We are working with the prosecutor’s office, it goes to the prosecutor’s office and we are also communicating with the ethics commission and we are interviewing other office holders.”īutler County Prosecutor Mike Gmoser told the Journal-News he cannot comment on the matter but wanted to “clarify the sheriff’s statement that he is working with the prosecutor’s office.” “I am doing the investigation, detectives are working diligently to get to the truth and to the facts,” Jones said. The sheriff is investigating whether Reynolds’ involvement is an issue. ![]()
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