By John Kiesewetter
The Cincinnati Enquirer

LIBERTY TWP. - A state audit of township funds spent by fired Administrator Barry Tiffany has been requested by township trustees.

"Barry Tiffany had access to credit cards, cash receipts and a general purchase authority up to $1,000," said Roger Reynolds, township clerk. "Anything he purchased, we're going to look at."

Tiffany was fired Jan. 7 for misuse of public property. Trustees say he added a cell phone for his girlfriend to the township's Nextel account on Oct. 2.

Reynolds said Tiffany also will be asked to reimburse the township $722.33 for the cell phone.

"We're trying to ascertain if that's the only account we have to worry about. Some of our accounts ... need to be double-checked," said Christine Maticic, trustee president and acting administrator. Trustees authorized the state review of expenditures at a special meeting Thursday night.

Tiffany, 43, was employed by the township for 13 months. Originally hired as a zoning supervisor, he was promoted to acting administrator last February after the resignation of Nell Kilpatrick.

In June, he was named administrator. The job includes supervising planning, zoning, economic development and purchasing. Trustees in August raised Tiffany's limit on purchases to $1,000 without their permission, Reynolds said.

"Barry Tiffany had access to all accounts ... everything, and that's not unusual for an administrator," Reynolds said.

A letter will be sent to Ohio Auditor Jim Petro early next week requesting the special audit, Reynolds said. The review could begin in mid-February and take several weeks, he said. Trustees have not yet selected a professional search company to review applicants for administrator. Trustees conducted their own search last year, and hired Tiffany from among 50 applicants.

E-mail jkiesewetter@enquirer.com