In My Opinion - by Bob Ruth
June 24, 2026 — Bob Ruth
Officials suspect missing money attributed to the late executive director of Grove City Town Center Inc. could total twice as much as earlier reported.
Until his death in January 2025, Andrew Furr was executive director of the city-subsidized non-profit that sponsors four entertainment events in the downtown Broadway area – the Wine & Arts and Bourbon & Spirits festivals; Food Truck Festival and Shop Hop; and the Christmas Parade and Mistletoe Market.
In interviews with Brent Miller, Town Center Inc.’s straight-shooting new executive director, and other officials, In My Opinion has learned the following:
# Furr, who died in January 2025 at age 59, apparently is tied to more than $138,000 in unaccounted-for money. This new total represents more than double the amount of missing money reported by the Columbus Dispatch in a front-page expose on June 15.
# The missing money comes from two sources – a $71,000 COVID economic-recovery loan from the federal Small Business Administration and $67,846 in proceeds from Town Center Inc.’s events. None of the missing money appears to be from the $650,000 in taxpayer subsidies Grove City has given Town Center Inc. since 2017.
# Prompted by the scandal, City Hall earlier this year imposed stricter financial reporting guidelines on tourism-related non-profits like Town Center Inc. that receive tax subsidies from the city.
# Town Center’s re-shaped leadership team – led by Miller and Josh Palka, the new president of the organization’s board of trustees – has implemented a series of checks-and-balances policies aimed at minimizing the chances of unaccounted money turning up again. Under Furr’s stewardship in recent years, few checks and balances existed. Furr single-handedly oversaw virtually all Town Center Inc.’s financial matters.
# Officials have been reluctant to publicly characterize the scandal as a possible embezzlement. However, if Furr were alive today, he would most likely be considered an embezzlement suspect, officials privately acknowledge.
City Hall Told of Suspicions
After Furr’s death, David Crosby, president of Town Center Inc.’s board of trustee at the time, began perusing the organization’s financial books. Crosby soon became concerned because he had trouble reconciling monthly bank statements with receipts.
Miller, owner of a local realty business and a Grove City resident for 25 years, was named executive director on May 27, 2025. Less than a week later, he phoned Grove City Finance Director Michael Turner. Miller gave Turner a broad outline of what officials knew at the time about possible missing money.
The phone call lasted less than five minutes because Turner was out of state on vacation. At the time, Town Center Inc. officials had identified only about $10,000 in unaccounted-for money over the past two years. Turner immediately informed Mayor Ike Stage, City Administrator Charles W. Boso and City Law Director Stephen Smith of his conversation with Miller.
After Turner returned to Grove City, he and Miller began conversing regularly, with Miller giving the finance director updates as more information emerged. Administration officials also informed City Council members as the contours of the scandal became clearer.
The scale of the missing money enlarged after Town Center Inc. hired an attorney, Nicholas Andersen, and an accounting firm, Fifield, Kim & Associates, to assist in unraveling the organization’s sloppy and suspicious bookkeeping. Among the troubling discoveries were a lack of receipts to explain bank statement entries and other suspicious purchases over the past two years, Miller said.
IRS Tax Returns Not Filed
The internal probe found other disturbing facts. Furr had not filed so-called 990 forms with the IRS in 2023 and 2024. Non-profit organizations are required to file 990 tax returns annually. After Furr’s death, the new leadership filed 990 forms for the two years. However, the IRS has imposed $16,000 in fines and penalties on Town Center Inc. for failing to file timely tax returns. His organization plans to appeal the fines, Miller said. He hopes the amount of fines and penalties will eventually be reduced, Miller added.
Also, the internal probe found Furr had “fraudulently” obtained the $71,000 COVID-related loan from the SBA through a non-profit he had created called Heart of Grove City. However, the new non-profit apparently existed only on paper. It did not appear to have any employees or engage in any charitable activity. A collection agency recently contacted Town Center Inc. about repaying the loan, Miller said.
But Miller contends his organization is not responsible for the loan because Town Center Inc. never received any money from the loan. His assessment is based on attorney Andersen’s review of financial documents, Miller said.
Downtown Events Continue
Despite its financial troubles and a turn-over in its leadership and parttime staff, Town Center Inc.’s downtown Broadway events last year “went off without a hitch,” Palka said.
And that success has continued this year, he added. The non-profit’s most recent event was the Wine & Arts Festival on June 5-6. Three weeks earlier, the City Council approved a $47,857 subsidy for the festival.
Now that its financial books are in order, the organization anticipates City Hall will continue to subsidize the organization, Miller said. With new businesses becoming members and the popularity of its events increasing, Palka and Miller anticipate Town Center Inc.’s need for subsidies from the city will decrease substantially in coming years. The organization eventually could become completely self-sustaining, they added.
Town Center Inc.’s events are aimed at attracting consumer interest for downtown Broadway businesses, Miller said. Also, festivals and other entertainment events like those sponsored by Town Center Inc. and similar organizations boost Grove City’s image, especially among young professionals, he added.
Grove City police and state Attorney General David Yost’s office are continuing to investigate the finances of Heart of Grove City, the non-profit Furr created to obtain the SBA loan.
