Ocean Beach Clerk-Treasurer Steven Brautigam submits resignation after audit finds he was overpaid

Ocean Beach Clerk-Treasurer Steven Brautigam submitted his resignation to village officials after an audit found he was overpaid more than $44,000. 

Village officials announced Brautigam’s resignation at a special village meeting Saturday morning. His resignation is effective Tuesday. 

Neither Brautigam nor Mayor James Mallott attended the meeting, which was held in person and on Zoom. Brautigam didn’t immediately respond to a phone call seeking comment on his resignation. 

An audit published earlier this month by Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli's office said Brautigam was overpaid $44,135 since 2010 for unused vacation and sick days and unauthorized compensatory time and was sometimes paid a higher rate than his hourly pay. The report also found Brautigam didn’t report the personal use of a village vehicle on his taxes. 

Auditors found that Brautigam prematurely cashed out sick time, cashed out more vacation time than he earned yearly and received compensation time even though he was an exempt employee. In total, the report said Brautigam improperly received $10,096 for unused sick leave, was overpaid $15,546 for unused vacation time that he had not actually accrued and received $18,493 for using compensation time that he was not entitled to use. 

Brautigam is a full-time, appointed employee and was paid $211,150 in the 2020-2021 fiscal year. He didn’t respond to Newsday inquiries about the audit.

Deputy Treasurer Linda Morrissey and Deputy Clerk Jonneigh Adrion will replace Brautigam on Wednesday. Morrisey’s salary will be $128,550 and Adrion’s will be $110,000, village officials said.

By Brinley Hineman

brinley.hineman@newsday.com

Brinley Hineman covers the Town of Hempstead and the City of Long Beach for Newsday. She previously was a reporter in Nashville, Tennessee, and is a West Virginia native.