MARION, OH (MARION COUNTY NOW) – Marion City Council has approved an ordinance proposing a vote of no confidence against Auditor Miranda Meginness.
City council voted 8-1 in favor of the vote of no confidence when it met on Jan. 8. Councilman Matthew Pollock, at-large, cast the lone vote in opposition to the vote of no confidence.
Council rejected an amendment proposed by Councilman Aaron Rollins, at-large, to delay the vote until March 11. The vote on Rollins’ amendment was 6-3 in opposition to it. Rollins, Pollock, and Mike Neff, at-large, were the only council members who supported the amendment.
“I understand council’s frustration,” Meginness said Tuesday morning following Monday’s vote. “It’s been four years of a lot of stuff that’s come down the pike (dealing with the auditor’s office) that hasn’t looked too good. I do hope that at some point I’ll be able to sit down with every member of council and give them updates as they need them. I do hope we can work past (the lack of confidence city council has in the auditor’s office) and reestablish good working relationships.
“As of right now, I have no intention of going anywhere. I have no intention of resigning again,” Meginness added. “Now pending what council decides to do, that could change.”
Meginness has been at the center of controversy over the past year as members of Marion City Council have questioned the performance of the auditor’s office on multiple occasions. Council has questioned Meginness’ handling of a fire truck purchase, review of issues with bank reconciliation held over from the previous auditor’s administration, and most recently several hundred thousand dollars in fines levied by the IRS for failure to file forms in a timely manner.
Some members of city council have discussed the possibility of removing Meginness from office, but have not pursued any course of action.
Meginness informed fellow city officials on Dec. 11, 2023, that she intended to resign from office effective Jan. 5, 2024, but then rescinded that decision on Jan. 4, noting that she had taken time to “reassess the situation.” Meginness said “the real turning point” that prompted her decision not to resign resulted from two meetings she had on Jan. 4 with Greg Blate, managing director of Veritas Solutions Group LLC, and Robert Hinkle, chief deputy auditor for the Ohio Auditor of State.
“They both made comments about how I needed to stay and finish the project (review of the city’s bank reconciliation procedures dating back to 2020) we have going on currently,” Meginness said. “Those conversations (with Blate and Hinkle), plus conversations I’ve had with my family and members of the community, led to my decision to actually rescind my resignation.”
Meginness said in spite of the turmoil she and her office have faced in recent months, she believes that she still has support from some community residents in Marion.
“I’m extremely grateful for the support I do have. I know, obviously, there are people who are confused and concerned about what’s been going, so I’d be glad to answer any questions that anybody has about that,” Meginness said.
Meginness told city council that she has no plans to make any changes to personnel or other facets of the auditor’s office at this point in time.
Marion City Council will conduct committee meetings beginning at 6:30 p.m. on Jan. 16. To see meeting agendas, go to the City of Marion website marionohio.us. To listen to audio recordings of city council meetings, go to the City of Marion Ohio YouTube channel.