By John Kiesewetter
The Cincinnati Enquirer

LIBERTY TWP. - The township has begun paying trustee president Christine Matacic for her work as acting administrator, on top of her trustee pay.

"It's extremely rare that you'd find an elected official would be paid for performing those (administrative) duties, but that doesn't mean it's wrong," said Chris Slagle, spokesman for Ohio Auditor Betty Montgomery.

The township paid $16,955.23 to her May 11 for her hours as township staff supervisor from the first four months of the year, said Roger Reynolds, township clerk. She also makes $18,654 annually as trustee.

Matacic, serving her first term as trustee, was appointed acting administrator of the township Jan. 6, the day after Administrator Barry Tiffany was fired for misusing the township's cell phone policy.

As her hours on the job began to mount, she asked the Butler County Prosecutor's office for a ruling on whether she could be compensated for administrative duties under Ohio law.

"How many people would work - or expect to work - without any compensation?" said Matacic, who says she has been putting in 60 to 70 hours a week as either trustee or acting administrator.

Roger Gates, the prosecutor's chief civil division attorney, ruled that trustees could pay her the same hourly rate as Tiffany ($26.50) for her time as acting administrator. He ruled after consulting with the state auditor.

"It was not a situation they (state auditors) had encountered before," Gates said, "and said it was up to us to issue an opinion."

Usually, an elected official volunteers to replace an administrator on a short-term basis, Slagle said.

Dan Walter, a township park committee member, was surprised to hear about the financial arrangement. He called her "totally hypocritical" for asking for the additional pay, while telling the park committee that budgets were tight.

"I feel she's truly not looking out for the best interest of the township. I don't think it's right," Walter said.

Fellow Trustees Bob Shelley and David Kern voted to approve the hourly payment after an executive session April 19. Matacic abstained.

As acting administrator, Matacic has supervised the township's zoning, service fire department heads, and regularly attends zoning and zoning appeals board meetings.

She also has represented the township at Lakota Schools, county commission, county engineer and county Transportation Improvement District meetings. Matacic said she has kept records of her hours and activities as acting administrator and trustee, which she presented to Reynolds for compensation.

"I've been keeping a log sheet since Day 1 for my records. At this point, I feel I'm under the microscope. All of my records can be audited. I try to be very careful," she said. "It's a tightrope that you walk, and this one is very, very thin. It's a balancing act."

Township resident Dean Swartz said he doesn't object to his tax dollars being paid to Matacic because she's doing a good job. But he acknowledged it's a "sticky situation" for township department heads who have been told to take orders from the administrator, and not one of the three trustees.

"She's dedicated to the job, and would not try to use the position to get round the other two trustees. Some people would use that situation for political advantage, but not Christine," Swartz said.

E-mail jkiesewetter@enquirer.com