Geauga County Auditor Resigns
Under fire, Frank Gliha resigns
The Geauga County Auditor resigned Monday morning in a letter to county commissioners.
Writing that the allegations against a former county IT officer “shocked me,” Frank Gliha resigned his auditor’s post Monday morning in a letter to county commissioners. His last day will be April 3 at 9 a.m.
“Coming to grips with his apparent deceit has been very difficult for me,” Gliha wrote. “I have decided that I cannot continue as Geauga County Auditor.”
That former county employee, Stephen Decatur, was arrested in October. Decatur, and his daughter, Stephanie Stewart, have been charged with defrauding the county of more than $1.8 million public funds over an eight-year period, 322 total counts. You can read the latest in that case here.
A special prosecutor has been assigned to investigate the county auditor’s office and seized equipment, including computers, storage devices, emails and more. You can read those details here.
Gliha has also decided not to run for re-election for auditor in the May 8 Republican primary. In a second letter to the board of elections, Gliha wrote: “Please make sure that my name does not appear on the ballot.”
According to Deborah Reiter, director of the Geauga County Board of Elections, there is no process in place for a candidate who has filed a petition to withdraw from a primary election.
However, since the ballots for the May election have not been printed yet, the board will have to decide how to handle the fact that Gliha has resigned, she said. The board of elections is scheduled to meet March 15, and will discuss the matter with Geauga County Prosecutor Jim Flaiz, she said.
“I am grateful to have had the opportunity to serve my County and my Township and want to thank the wonderful staff that I have worked with at the Auditor’s office over the years,” Gliha wrote. “I am proud of my public service and sad that it has come to an end.”
Gliha’s resignation letters can be read here.
