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Positions eliminated by diocese

STEUBENVILLE — Four positions have been eliminated and another reduced to part-time as the Diocese of Steubenville continues to grapple with the fallout from the alleged misappropriation of funds by a former employee.

Bishop Jeffrey M. Monforton said Tuesday the cuts were needed to “make the diocese operate more efficiently and still be able to sustain the level of services.”

The positions eliminated included executive assistant to the bishop; director of stewardship and development; and both positions in the information and technology department. The assistant to the director of stewardship and development has been reduced to a part-time position.

Monforton was not available to comment, but “the bishop told us there won’t be any job cuts in the foreseeable future,” diocese spokesman Dino Orsatti said. “He asked all of the department heads to look for ways to save money.”

The financial irregularities were discovered in 2017 during a restructuring of the diocese’s financial offices. After examining records dating as far back as 2004, a team of independent investigators concluded money that should have been turned over to state taxing authorities and the IRS had instead been used to cover other diocesean expenses. None of the missing money ended up in any private bank accounts, a spokesman said previously.

The individual suspected of mishandling the money had shown the bishop and finance council records portraying the diocese in the black when it had been losing money for several years, diocese officials said.

The diocese reported the findings from the independent audit to federal, state and local authorities and is waiting for decisions on whether any criminal action will be taken against those responsible.

In the meantime, the diocese last year liquidated unrestricted investments to pay the $3.5 million tax bill.

And several months ago an ad-hoc committee was formed to evaluate every position in the chancery. Surveys were filled out by chancery and parish staffs, as well as school administrators. Recommendations were then made to the bishop on how to improve the financial situation.

“These cuts were extremely difficult to make and I am thankful for our employees many years of service to the diocese,” the bishop said.

Monforton said the IT department’s work will be outsourced and the duties of the other workers, whose jobs and departments were eliminated, will be absorbed by several chancery employees.

The bishop said he will continue to look for ways to save the diocese money.

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