PAPILLION, Neb. (AP) - The Sarpy County Board has voted to remove the county’s embattled treasurer from office.
The board voted unanimously Tuesday to remove Brian Zuger from the elected post, the Omaha World-Herald reported. The vote followed a state auditor’s report earlier this year citing missteps by Zuger’s office that caused Millard Public Schools to miss out on a nearly $2.4 million tax payment, while Bellevue’s school district was overpaid by $2.3 million. In all, the audit identified multiple issues that affected more than $12.5 million in public funds.
Zuger’s removal took effect immediately. The board will install a permanent replacement within 45 days.
Zuger has defended his work, saying his office has been trying to correct yearslong problems that predated his election in 2018. Zuger’s attorney, Robert Schaefer, had objected to Tuesday’s vote, maintaining that the board did not have the authority to remove Zuger. Schaefer filed a lawsuit Monday to have a Sarpy County District Court weigh in on the matter, but the court did not take up the filing before the board’s action Tuesday.
Board members have argued that two state statutes give them the authority to remove the treasurer if the officeholder “fails or neglects to account” for money due to tax-reliant bodies.
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