BY ANNE MICHAUD and LISA DONOVAN
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Hamilton County Auditor Dusty Rhodes has asked the prosecutor whether the county can recover some of the hundreds of thousands of dollars in lost revenue from decisions made by former sewer district Director Thomas Quinn.
"Is there a basis to take legal action . . . against the city of Cincinnati as the contracting agency for Hamilton County?" Mr. Rhodes wrote Thursday.
"I'm asking the county to go after the city," he said.
The county prosecutor could not be reached for a response.
County Commissioner Bob Bedinghaus said commissioners have asked City Manager John Shirey what he intends to do about the lost revenue, which amounts to $1.9 million by one estimate.
"Prior to his response, it's premature to be asking this question," Mr. Bedinghaus said of Mr. Rhodes' letter. "Although if we get a totally unsatisfactory response, my position may change." MSD is a county agency that is operated under contract by the city.
Mr. Quinn resigned Wednesday after more than two months of allegations that he abused his authority. He had been director of the Metropolitan Sewer District (MSD) for more than five years.
Many allegations came from MSD employees who spoke to reporters, city council members and city and county auditors investigating MSD. There is also a grand jury probe.
Mr. Shirey said he talked with Mr. Quinn several times leading up to the MSD director's resignation. But Mr. Shirey refused to comment when asked whether he had encouraged Mr. Quinn to resign or face dismissal.
Mr. Quinn will receive his salary up until Aug. 31, Mr. Shirey said. MSD officials said he is paid $99,366 annually.
In addition, Mr. Quinn will receive vacation pay and eventually a city pension because he has been with the city for more than 5 years. Under the MSD program Mr. Rhodes is referring to, MSD agreed to waive more than $3 million in sewer tap-in fees. Some of the waivers were approved by commissioners as a way to ease the shock of a fivefold fee increase in July 1996.
Commissioners first considered home builders with projects under way, giving them the right to reserve 10 lots at the old rate. Mr. Quinn extended the reservation program to commercial businesses, which he said he had authority to do. Commissioners say he did not. County commissioners have said the exceptions -- fee waivers or extensions to pay -- took on a taint of favoritism. Mr. Quinn has strongly denied the charge.
