Northeast Ohio City Councilperson Accused Of Misconduct

BRECKSVILLE, OH — Breckville City Councilperson John Petsche has been indicted after having a financial stake in contracts awarded by the city, prosecutors said.

“Public servants are held to the highest ethical standard,” Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael O’Malley said. “This is a clear violation of the law.”

Petsche, 66, was indicted on three counts of having an unlawful interest in a public contract and one count of attempting to have an unlawful interest in a public contract. Most of the charges stem from the construction of a Brecksville police station roof and discussions involving the renovation of the Brecksville Aquatic Center.

Petsche was elected to the Brecksville City Council in November 2017. During his tenure, he voted on at least three matters involving a contract going to a construction company which he had a financial interest in, prosecutors said.

During his tenure, Petsche also had conversations with a another construction company about a project at the Brecksville Aquatic Center, according to the indictment.

Petsche did not disclose the nature of his relationship to the construction company until August 2019. By that point, the company had been paid $142,000 by the city.

The city of Brecksville forwarded the allegations against Petsche to the Ohio Ethic Commission (OEC).

In May 2014, Brecksville entered into a three-year contract with a construction firm to build a new police station, the OEC said. In December 2017, the company reached a $154,000 subcontractor agreement with USA Roofing, a company owned by Petsche, prosecutors said.

"Investigators uncovered that on at least three separate occasions between April 2018 and March 2019, Petsche voted to allow the city to acquire finances to pay the construction company, which then paid Petsche’s roofing company for their work," prosecutors said.

The OEC's investigation also found that in May 2019, Brecksville began seeking quotes for renovations to the Aquatic Center. The day after bidding opened, Petsche contacted another construction company and began discussions on a subcontract for USA Roofing, prosecutors said.

Petsche will be arraigned in Cuyahoga County Justice Center at a later date, prosecutors said.