Dear Editor:
(In response to: ‘Rough start for New Treasurer, The Citizen, Nov. 29, page 4).
The taxpayers of Brandon elected a person with no idea of what is required to be a township treasurer, and his claim that I did not leave the required papers for him to do the job is a bold-face lie. People who know me know that I would not do something like that to jeopardize my reputation.
This man asked for an independent audit to be done by someone other than Plante-Moran who quoted a price of $3,700 to do an audit; he wanted the other firm who quoted $9,700, of which the township board voted 4 -3 to go with the higher priced firm.
When I left the treasurers office on the night of Nov. 19, I left with the auditor who had checked all my records and he said they all looked good. All the hard copies were there. I wanted the auditors to be there on Nov. 20, but Mr. Beltramo said it wasn’t necessary. Now I know why!!
For the missing reports, all financial reports are kept in the clerk’s office, she is the keeper of the records, and she employs the bookkeeper who keeps the balances of the township, not the treasurer.
The financial report you say also was missing. he treasurer is not the financial officer of the township, the supervisor is. Check the township minutes, Mr. Lapp stated that several years ago he was the financial officer. So you see, no copies just walked away, you just don’t know what you are looking for.
The law is very clear on what a treasurer passes on to the next treasurer MCL 41.78: ‘In a book or by electronic means,? which meet the uniform accounting requirements. The account shall reflect the amount of money belonging to each of the several funds of the township be delivered in a timely manner to the treasurer successor in office. Important: The audit closed all accounts on a certain date that was under the control of the outgoing treasurer and all new business must be recorded by the new treasurer after that date to keep a updated account of the township funds according to the uniform chart of accounts system.
As for the computers that didn’t work, they were working fine when Linda Cotton and I walked out. Knowing you had no work ethic I figured you would do something like this, so I had witnesses come to my office the day I left and showed them what was in my office, and all the paperwork was there before I turned over my office to Mr. Beltramo. What happened after I left was not my responsibility, I was no longer the treasurer.
But to spend $125 an hour for six hours, to retrieve my personal Excel sheets that I put together appalled me. After all, you made the statement you could do a better job than I, so why use my spreadsheets. All the balances of the township accounts were on the assistant treasurers (Kim Sherman) computer, why didn’t you ask her for her spreadsheets. After all, she puts the treasurer’s report together for the board packet every month.
I was not surprised when I read the article in the paper. Why a reporter would print a story without checking out the facts is hard to understand. There was an audit done, why not contact them or myself.
As a township treasurer I had to allow taxpayers to attack me because I was an elected official paid by the taxpayers but now I am a citizen of the township and do not have to put up with township officials saying lies about me. I will, if it continues, take necessary steps to stop it.
So, Mr. Beltramo, start doing the job you ran for and were elected to do and stop making accusations about me, the ex-treasurer who received excellent audit reviews for the twenty years I served the township as treasurer.
Ex-Treasurer Brandon Township
Linda B. Owen, CPFA
Deputy Treasurer
Hadley Township