Headlines 18 May 2026

Village of Trimble in Athens County released from fiscal emergency

COLUMBUS – Auditor of State Keith Faber formally terminated the fiscal emergency declaration for the Village of Trimble in Athens County Thursday after an analysis confirmed the village had achieved financial stability.

“The Village of Trimble sacrificed and made hard decisions for more than a decade to overcome these financial difficulties,” Auditor Faber said. “Village officials are now on firm financial footing and well positioned to serve the community.”

The fiscal emergency had been in place since May 2014 due to deficit balances and treasury deficiencies. The fiscal difficulties were due, in part, to crimes committed by a former fiscal officer, who embezzled more than $60,000.

Among other actions, the village imposed a 1% income tax beginning in 2015; eliminated the village police department and contracted with the Athens County Sheriff’s Department for law enforcement services; and negotiated outstanding balances owed to the Auditor of State’s Office and the Bureau of Workers’ Compensation.

The full fiscal termination report is available online at https://ohioauditor.gov/auditsearch/search.aspx.

With Thursday’s removal of the Village of Trimble, there are now a dozen communities with fiscal emergency declarations, including three cities, seven villages and two townships.

Additional information about fiscal distress declarations is available online at https://ohioauditor.gov/fiscaldistress.html.

••• Publisher's note: A free press is critical to having well-informed voters and citizens. While some news organizations opt for paid websites or costly paywalls, The Highland County Press has maintained a free newspaper and website for the last 28 years for our community. If you would like to contribute to this service – and want it to continue – it would be greatly appreciated. Donations may be made to: The Highland County Press, P.O. Box 849, Hillsboro, Ohio 45133. Please include "for website" on the memo line.

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