Local organization to pay over $100K after investigation into falsified volunteer hours

This week it was learned the Cambria County Area Agency on Aging agreed to pay more than $100,000 following a federal investigation and Representative Frank Burns is calling for greater transparency from the agency.

Investigators with the U.S. Attorney's Office said they found the agency falsified volunteer hours that led to them being paid higher stipends.

They said it was part of the AmeriCorps Foster Grandparent Program.

Cambria County Solicitor Ronald Repak said the issue happened in 2016 and 2017, and that it's been completely resolved and shouldn't negatively impact the agency or county.

The DOJ said the volunteers were told to double or triple the number of hours they worked, or were given bonuses, which they said violated the grant.

Repak said, “To me, again, I think it really shows that the moment this rose to the attention of the commissioners and their offices that it was taken care of as quickly as humanly possible. I add, one more time, the expensive litigation, and years of litigation, it was avoided by saying, ‘Here’s how we’re going to be able to correct the problem moving forward.’”

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