ELYRIA — A 2008 state audit of Lorain County agencies has included a finding for recovery against an 11-year employee of the Lorain County Recorder’s Office who failed to deposit nearly two dozen checks covering various recording fees from mortgage companies, banks and financial institutions that were written to the office over a five-year period.

The 21 checks, totaling $736, were found in April in the overhead compartment of a workstation occupied by Deputy Recorder Tracie Mettler, who repaid the entire sum to the office Sept. 28, according to Lorain County Recorder Judy Nedwick.

Mettler was given a five-day unpaid leave, which she has since taken, Nedwick said. She will remain on probation within the recorder’s office for an 18-month period ending in early 2011.

“The checks and documents were put in her workstation and never processed,” Nedwick said. “That’s wrong.”

When confronted about the situation, Mettler told Nedwick she had forgotten to take care of them.

“How do you do that?” Nedwick asked.

The finding by Ohio State Auditor Mary Taylor came after Nedwick reported discovering checks and paperwork to the state auditor’s offices on April 17.

“I can’t sweep anything under the carpet, and I won’t. I’m obligated to taxpayers. You can’t have paperwork sitting on workstations. I have to make sure everything is right with paperwork, that it’s to the ‘T.’ I can’t take a chance that this comes back to me. I have to be honest,” Nedwick said.

The 21 checks were in amounts ranging from $16 to $68. All were written between Jan. 14, 2003, and March 17, 2008. The bulk of the checks, totaling 11, were written in 2005, according to the audit.

The audit, prepared for the state by Varney, Fink & Associates Inc., included the finding for recovery against Mettler, covered the period from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31, 2008. Nedwick described Mettler, who was hired prior to Nedwick’s appointment to the job in 2003, as a good, solid employee. “I never had any reason to doubt her for anything.”

Mettler is a member of United Steel Workers Local 8845, which represents county workers including employees of the recorder’s office, Nedwick said.

The discovered checks and paperwork included records that were mistakenly mailed to the county recorder’s office but were intended for other Ohio counties.

“There were documents intended for Portage and Cuyahoga counties that were sent to us,” Nedwick said. This happens all the time … they (banks and mortgage firms) get the wrong county. We sent them back where they belonged.”

Nedwick said she considered the matter closed at this point “other that the probation” period. The audit and its findings can be viewed at www.auditor.state.oh.us.

Contact Steve Fogarty at 329-7146 or sfogarty@chroniclet.com.

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