UPDATED to include that the administrative leave is paid.
PORT ANGELES — The State Patrol will investigate whether the head of the city’s finances broke state law by authorizing $28,862 in payments to herself through a “cashout” program.
Port Angeles City Manager Kent Myers, who made the announcement this morning in a written statement, said the State Patrol will assist Clallam County Prosecuting Attorney Deb Kelly in determining whether any crimes occurred.
City Finance Director Yvonne Ziomkowski is on paid administrative leave during the investigation, which is expected to start this week.
Ziomkowski received the payments by cashing out 896 hours of unused vacation leave since 2009, far in excess of city policy which allows employees to turn between 80 and 120 hours of leave into cash annually.
Because of an unexplained change in the city’s cashout forms for nonunion employees, Ziomkowski was the only administrator approving her transactions.
Previously, city manager authorization was required.
Myers said no determination has been made on whether any laws were broken.
“As city manager, I have a legal and ethical obligation to ensure that this incident is fully investigated and that, if a crime has been committed, proper action is taken,” he said.
Ziomkowski said last week she will repay the funds, which were placed into a retirement plan.
The finance director said she was following direction given to her by former City Manager Mike Quinn in 2005, who also had authorized Fire Chief Dan McKeen and then-Police Chief Tom Riepe to get rid large amounts of their leave.
Myers said the authorization was limited to 2005 — during Quinn’s tenure as city manager — and no longer applied. Quinn is now a city manager in Florida.
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Reporter Tom Callis can be reached at 360-417-3532 or at tom.callis@peninsuladailynews.com.
