Four former Canton City Schools employees were improperly paid nearly $40,000 in wages and bonuses after they had already left their jobs, according to a report released Thursday by Ohio Auditor of State Keith Faber.
The finding for recovery totaling $39,970.57 was issued against Jason Huff Jr., Kyra Kennedy, Jacob Kent, and Melissa Leasure. The four continued receiving biweekly paychecks and attendance bonuses for approximately six months following their departures during the 2024 fiscal year, which ran from July 1, 2023, through June 30, 2024.
Kennedy, Kent and Leasure were employed as bus drivers, while Huff worked as a bus assistant. According to the audit, their exits from the district were not reported to the district’s human resources department, allowing automated payroll processes to continue.
The breakdown of the overpayments is as follows:
- Jason Huff Jr.: $9,376.93
- Kyra Kennedy: $8,690.27
- Jacob Kent: $11,823.53
- Melissa Leasure: $10,079.84
“The district clearly did not have controls in place to ensure only those actually employed received paychecks and attendance bonuses,” Faber said in a statement. “There’s no excuse for this happening.”
District Treasurer Jeff Gruber, his bonding company, and Assistant Transportation Director Theresa Vazquez have been found jointly and severally liable for the improper payments, the report states.
The full audit report is available online at: https://ohioauditor.gov/auditsearch/search.aspx.
