WATCHDOG REPORT: Girard Schools Treasurer paid almost half a million in one fiscal year

An audit shows a change in contract language leading to the Girard City Schools' Treasurer getting paid nearly half a million dollars in one fiscal year.

According to the Ohio audit, Girard Schools' Treasurer Mark Bello got a pay-bump of almost $326 thousand for the fiscal year 2023, part of a retire/rehire agreement.

The Ohio Auditor's Office called this an "excessive and extravagant use of District resources and behavior a prudent person would not consider reasonable and necessary business practices..."

Bello's total pay went from under $189 thousand to over $460 thousand from 2022 to 2023, and that's because of a simple change.

Under Bello's previous contract, he received a base salary plus 2.5 percent of any grants he brought into the district.

Under the new contract, that number is changed to one percent, of the entire budget for the district.

Every board member voted in favor of this change, but the audit notes that many of them did not understand this would be a pay increase, believing instead it amounted to a cut.

 "Board members revealed that certain board members were aware of the percentage change in the contract but were not aware of the language change to 'all revenue of the district,'" the Ohio Auditor's Office said,  "and there was an expectation of reduced payment to the Treasurer."

The contract was signed by Bello and now-mayor Mark Zuppo, who was Girard's school board president at the time. 

21 News pressed Zuppo, the Treasurer, and current board members on who wrote the provision language, who read the finalized contract, how this could happen and whether they had read the agreement they voted on.

Zuppo and current members said they're advised not to comment because the school board has since hired legal counsel, and this contract could wind up in court.

Treasurer Bello acknowledges he knew his pay would go up, but also said he was surprised by exactly how much.

In response to the state, the district said moving forward, board members will consider outside council to properly review contracts before agreeing to them.