The former Evans town supervisor is disputing a state audit that said there is no documentation for a $6,000 payment made to her for opting out of health benefits.
Mary Hosler, now Erie County deputy comptroller in charge of audits, said state auditors were provided documentation on four occasions that she was entitled to the opt-out payment of $1,500 for four years.
It is one of several findings in a report issued recently by State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli’s office.
Auditors reviewed a selection of leave records, separation payments and opt-out payments, and criticized the town for lax oversight policies.
The report found that some leave time was recorded incorrectly or wasn’t in the payroll system, and four separation payments totaling $11,282 were inaccurate or unsupported. One employee had 37.5 hours of unused sick time at the time of retirement, but was paid for 37.5 days.
Auditors reviewed the period from Jan. 1, 2020, to Nov. 29, 2023, and went back to Jan. 1, 2015, for their review of opt-out payments.Â
“These errors and discrepancies occurred and were not detected or corrected due to a variety of factors including a decentralized process for maintaining leave records and a lack of oversight of leave records, separation payments and opt-out payments,” the audit said.
As for the payments to Hosler, “officials were unable to explain why the former supervisor was treated differently than other board members,” the audit stated.
Since joining the Erie County Comptroller’s Office in October 2022, Hosler has served as the top supervisor of the county’s Audit Division. In that…
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