What in the world happened? [Overton, Ford... Leave Boro]

[Alex Oreilly]

I wonder if Mrs. Butterfield will apply for the Borough Manager job so she can side by side with her husband

[Venter]

Overton acknowledged shredding a payroll document Tuesday morning, saying she didn't want to throw out something with employees' Social Security numbers on it. She added that she had no shredder in her office and shredded the document at an open workspace.

"I would never destroy property of the borough," Overton said. "I never put personal info in the garbage to find.
It's not necessary and it's just what we accountants do."

Read more: boroughvent.proboards.com/thread/1070/world-happened-overton-ford-leave#ixzz2c4urLRT8

Sorry, but when you are leaving a position, you must know that it at least LOOKS Suspect if you go around shredding documents.
I would think that ANY Legitimate Accountant would realize how that may appear.

Same would go for erasing files, or tossing out folders, etc. ... if that should happen.
Whatever access Mona has to the files she shredded, I would assume that the next Finance Director should have access to those same files.
Is Mona the only "trustworthy person" that can handle those files?

[Alex Oreilly]

Aug 15, 2013 17:16:53 GMT -5 Venter said:

"I would never destroy property of the borough," Overton said. "I never put personal info in the garbage to find.
It's not necessary and it's just what we accountants do."
Overton acknowledged shredding a payroll document Tuesday morning, saying she didn't want to throw out something with employees' Social Security numbers on it. She added that she had no shredder in her office and shredded the document at an open workspace.


Read more: boroughvent.proboards.com/thread/1070/world-happened-overton-ford-leave#ixzz2c4urLRT8

Sorry, but when you are leaving a position, you must know that it at least LOOKS Suspect if you go around shredding documents.
I would think that ANY Legitimate Accountant would realize how that may appear.

Same would go for erasing files, or tossing out folders, etc. ... if that should happen.
Whatever access Mona has to the files she shredded, I would assume that the next Finance Director should have access to those same files.
Is Mona the only "trustworthy person" that can handle those files?

A payroll document could mean changing an employees pay after a review or some personal changes. Therefore, the document the employee filled out was not needed anymore so she shredded it for security reasons but a better place for it was in the employees personal file for verification purposes

[Venter]

A smarter thing would have been for Mona to realize how things may appear to others.
If there was to be a transition, then allow that to happen out in the open, with the transition team involved in every step of the process.

Excuse us for being concerned about an out-going employee going around shredding papers!!!
If I saw the out-going POPE shredding papers, I would question him too.

Remember a certain secretary of Nixon who "accidentally erased" 18 minutes of tape recordings?

[ballpienhammer]

Wasn't Overton a financial director of some sort a few yrs ago when the Long Park/ Little League/ Fireman's Carnival/ Loss of Funds fiasco erupted? Hmmmmmmm; the plot thickens......

[Venter]

Ballpien,
If it happened in this century, or the end of the last, then she was probably the Finance Director

Mona is one of the last of the Old Breed of Gettysburg Bureaucracy.

On another note, there was a Letter-to-the-Editor in the Times today, calling for a Forensic Audit of the Finance Dept.
Excuse me, but I think we've been promoting THAT Idea since the Infancy of BoroughVENT!

[Venter]

Ahhh!
A trip down mammary lane...

www.boroughvent.com/PunBB/forum/viewtopic.php?id=2162

Just a taste.

[ballpienhammer]

yeah, well...getting an audit, which SHOULD be done, actually- SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE, before Overton's demise, would probably take an act of god by the "powers that be"... Could be more than one shredder involved...eh?

[orrtannaexpat]

Gettysburg council president defends removal of borough officer

The council plans to discuss how to handle the vacant positions of borough manager and finance director this week, officials say.

By LILLIAN REED
The Evening Sun
Posted: 08/19/2013 07:10:30 PM EDT

Gettysburg Borough Council President Michael Birkner assured members of the Gettysburg Rotary Club on Monday that he stood by his decision to remove Ramona Overton, former finance director, from her post last Tuesday, despite speculation it might not have been in compliance with the Sunshine Act.

The Sunshine Act requires a council to hold an executive session and cast a majority vote with any decision involving the employment of public officers or employees.

Birkner said the notion that he acted against the Sunshine Act was “mystifying” since Overton had already tendered her own resignation the evening of Aug. 12.

Overton's resignation, which was accompanied by the resignation of Borough Manager Florence Ford and accountant Karen Teel, came with comments of micro-management by members of the council — an accusation Birkner strongly denied.

Birkner said he decided to remove Overton from the building Aug. 13 after receiving a report from Mayor William Troxell that Overton was shredding unknown documents in her office. Having already consulted with the borough solicitor on how to proceed with the resignations, Birkner penned a letter, which was reviewed by Councilwoman Rebecca Brown, notifying Overton that she was to be escorted out.
Gettysburg finance director escorted from office after shredding


Overton acknowledged Wednesday that she had shredded a payroll document in a public work space, but felt justified since it contained employees' Social Security numbers.

Birkner asked members of the audience to consider his position at the time and ask themselves what they would do.

“I was doing my due diligence for the taxpayers,” Birkner said. “I believe then and I believe now that what I did was the right thing.”

The council plans to hold an executive session this week to discuss how to handle the vacant positions of borough manager and finance director, he said.

However, Birkner was doubtful any new borough staff would be hired this week, saying the council will have a complex discussion ahead of it.

During the executive session, the council is expected to weigh options including whether or not to hire an interim manager, how to conduct a search for a new manager, and whether the structure of the borough management will be changed to exclude the need for a finance director, Birkner said.

The council will also need to address budgeting problems and staff shortages in the coming months, he added.

“We're are going to have to make some pretty difficult decisions coming up,” Birkner said. “We've been cutting personnel and we can't do it any more. We need money to beef up the municipal staff.”

Birkner said he hoped the meeting will occur by Thursday and added that the council will post a public notice announcing the day and time soon. Executive sessions are closed to the public, but state law required that they take place as part of a public meeting.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
There are two articles in the Times today related to this affair. Can someone post the full texts so that I can follow the story? Thanks.

[ballpienhammer]

So, does Birkner, in his position, have the right and priviledge to "fire" a boro employee without a formal boro meeting prior? Something is rotten in Denmark(Adams Cty).

[getysbg]

Aug 20, 2013 19:51:30 GMT -5 ballpienhammer said:

So, does Birkner, in his position, have the right and priviledge to "fire" a boro employee without a formal boro meeting prior? Something is rotten in Denmark(Adams Cty).

He didn't actually fire her - he just said she couldn't work out her notice but that she would be paid. Pretty standard stuff for sensitive positions. As far as the shredding of documents goes, when I was a State employee if a document had a name, address, DOB, SS # or phone # and was not being placed in a file, it was to be SHREDED. Again, pretty standard stuff. There's more to this than is out yet.

[diogenes]

Now Flo is back...

[davew]

What does that mean, back from vacation or back as in not resigning?

[Venter]

Aug 22, 2013 9:26:07 GMT -5 davew said:

What does that mean, back from vacation or back as in not resigning?

Who knows?

I think it's just until Sept 11 or 12.
I haven't seen any Borough Councilmen clamoring for her to remain on staff!
I must have also missed the hew and cry from the Citizens.
Of course, a poll of the townsfolk would most likely reveal that 93% have no clue what the name of the Borough Manager is - let alone what her job is.

[davew]

You could do a trick street beat type question (I don't know if the times has done those in 20 years) quizzing people about whether or not flo ford is related to the former times owners. I'll bet a LOT of people would provde the wrong answer.

Like I said in another thread (in terms of folks knowing what's going on), my parents have lived in straban for 30 years, and when I see them in a week, I'll ask them if they know why it's taking so long for target and walmart to get started on the other side of shealer road. I'll bet they'll have no clue.

[orrtannaexpat]

The Fords who managed the paper were not the owners.

[davew]

Change the question to reflect that, I suppose.

[Venter]

I don't really have much time to say what I want right now, but...

In the Times the other day, it noted that Mona Overton may be brought over to the GMA in order to keep the wheels turning.
The GMA and the Borough BOTH use the same Computer System!!!
WTF!

There was some question over "Firewalls" and "Access" between the entities on the system.
Basically, it appears that if Mona is given access to the GMA Side of the System, then she MAY still have access to the Borough Side!?

I tell you what, I'm going to just give them my Social Security Number, my First Dog's Name, My Mom's-Mom's Maiden Name, and Where I Grew Up*
Oh yeah, and ALL of my Passwords to each account.


Shred THIS!





*That part is a Trick Answer - I'll never grow up!

[Venter]

In today's Times:
Evidently they have done a Review of the Accounting Practices of the Borough.
The person doing the "Audit" claims that it may be "sloppy", but nothing bad.

Of course (and only in Gettysburg), the person doing the work formerly lived NEXT DOOR to Ramona Overton!
C'mon... Really?
That's the best they could do?

[Venter]

Am I the only one who finds this funny?

"... the person doing the work formerly lived NEXT DOOR to Ramona Overton!"