Tiffin, Ohio — Nearly a month after a public records request was filed seeking information on the hiring of Seneca County’s Media Relations Coordinator Sheri Trusty, the county’s response, received on Wednesday, lacked the transparency and documentation expected of government records.
County Administrator Barb Patterson’s response omitted key records regarding Trusty’s hiring process, pay determination, contract vetting, and scope of work, claiming instead that many decisions were made verbally, leaving minimal documentation.
The October 24 request sought clear records of who authorized Trusty’s hiring, how her $26,000 salary was set, and specific descriptions of her services for the county.
Additionally, records were requested on any legal review of her contract, her expected media strategy, and written correspondence about her role.
The response, however, pointed to informal conversations as the basis for decisions, a move that some say runs counter to Ohio’s Public Records Act, which mandates government transparency.
Relevance Amid Ongoing Controversy
This lack of documentation raises questions not only about Seneca County’s transparency practices but also about Trusty’s specific role and how she’s representing the county in the public sphere.
Trusty recently made headlines for publishing an article on the county’s official website that attacked Advertiser-Tribune journalist Kayla Trevino for her investigative reporting on Commissioner Bill Frankart’s personal child custody dispute.
Frankart’s involvement in the custody case follows his son’s conviction on sexual assault charges. The use of county resources to publish a piece targeting a journalist sparked backlash from the public, leading to the article’s swift removal from the county website.
Given this context, the lack of clear documentation regarding Trusty’s duties, pay, and hiring authorization appears especially troubling to some observers.
The county has yet to clarify what role, if any, Trusty’s position played in the decision to post the controversial article targeting a local journalist on its website.
Concerns Over Transparency and Accountability
In the absence of documentation regarding Trusty’s hiring and employment, transparency advocates are questioning the county’s administrative practices.
Ohio law requires government bodies to maintain clear records of decisions made in the public interest, including employment and contractual agreements.
Patterson’s response, claiming that these were verbal decisions, creates ambiguity around accountability, and the nearly three-week delay in responding only amplifies these concerns.
“This response fails to satisfy Ohio’s standards for public transparency,” said one advocate familiar with the case. “Public officials should not make hiring and pay decisions through informal discussions, especially for positions tasked with representing the county’s voice in the media.”
A Limited Response Raises More Questions
Patterson’s response noted that Trusty was hired by the County Administrator under authorization from the Commissioners, with her salary determined in a “verbal discussion” with the Administrator.
Trusty’s contract, according to Patterson, was reviewed “as to form” by the Prosecutor’s office, but no supporting records were provided to clarify her duties or performance expectations. Additionally, her scope of work and any media strategy were reportedly discussed only verbally, leaving no record of her responsibilities or evaluation standards.
The original records request also sought communications like emails or texts regarding Trusty’s hiring, but Patterson’s response offered none.
Descriptions alone do not fulfill the requirement to produce responsive records, as laid out by Ohio law, and do little to instill public confidence in the county’s approach to hiring and accountability.
Is This a Broader Pattern?
The apparent lack of transparency in Trusty’s hiring has raised questions about whether such informal practices are common in Seneca County’s government.
The delay and limited response invite further scrutiny, especially in light of recent controversies involving the county’s use of resources to publish potentially personal or politically motivated content.
Without clear documentation, it is difficult for the public to assess whether Trusty’s role as Media Relations Coordinator is truly serving the public interest.
What’s Next?
Residents and taxpayers now await a more thorough response from Seneca County to clarify Trusty’s employment details and the county’s commitment to transparency.
Until such clarification is provided, the opaque nature of her hiring and responsibilities leaves the public wondering whether this is an isolated incident—or indicative of a larger pattern within the county’s operations.
