It’s been three months since former Addison Supervisor Robert Koski left office, but records indicate that hasn’t stopped him from using a township credit card.
According to a billing statement and receipts obtained from the township under the Freedom of Information Act, Koski, his son, Andrew, and a local carpenter named Stanley Wojes charged a total of $1,246.16 worth of materials in January at the Home Depot in Orion Township.
‘I was furious to know township money was tapped into,? said Supervisor Bruce Pearson. ‘Our neck is on the line now because we’re the ones that have to pay the bill.?
Koski, who served as supervisor from 1992-2008, insisted the charges were the result of an honest mistake on his part.
‘I have my own credit card and I thought I was using that,? he said. ‘They were both together in my wallet.?
Signed receipts indicate Koski charged $225.08 on Jan. 16, his son, Andrew, charged a combined $381.83 on Jan. 19 and 21, and Wojes charged $639.25 on Jan. 17.
Koski admitted he used the card and gave it to Andrew and Wojes to buy materials for his machine shop.
‘If there’s any blame, that (falls) onto me,? he said. ‘I thought I was using my card.?
Once Pearson learned about the matter Feb. 19, he immediately sent an Oakland County Sheriff’s officer to Koski’s home to retrieve the township’s Home Depot charge card.
According to Pearson, Koski initially denied having possession of the card, but then found it and gave it to the officer.
‘I didn’t know I had it,? Koski said.
Now that the card’s back in the township’s possession, Pearson wants ‘people to know that their money is secure.?
‘We’re not allowing this to go on,? the supervisor said. ‘If anybody else has any intentions of using public money for their own private benefit in this township, I have a rude awakening for them because it will not happen anymore.?
The matter was turned over to the sheriff’s department for further investigation and so the township would have a police report on file, which is ‘the only way you can dispute illegal use of a credit card,? according to Pearson.
‘Otherwise, we’re admitting that we made the charges,? he explained.
Pearson said it’s possible criminal charges could be brought for both possession of the township credit card and ‘fraudulent use.?
According to Pearson, all the materials Koski purchased with the credit card were for fixing up his industrial facility, Thor Tool & Machine, located at 401 E. Elmwood Rd. in Leonard.
The ex-supervisor’s fixing up his machine shop, which was started by his father in 1942, because he’s got a $500,000 contract from Japan to build parts for the Hawk missile system.
‘We’re the sole source in the world for some of these parts,? Koski said. ‘That doesn’t mean others can’t make them . . . It happens to be that we have the tooling. They can get it right away and get it cheaper through us.?
All the purchases were made using a Home Depot commercial revolving charge card, which according to Treasurer Dan Alberty was opened in either August or September 2007 to purchase a new stove for Milmine Hall in Lakeville.
Alberty said he and Koski were the only ones authorized to make purchases with the card.
‘I know I didn’t put anybody else’s (name) on it,? Alberty said.
‘Addison Township? is clearly listed as the cardholder on the front of the charge plate.
Prior to leaving office in late November, Koski turned in his township Visa card, but apparently did not surrender the township Home Depot card.
‘Should I have turned it in? Of course, I should have, but I didn’t know I had it,? Koski said.
‘I could understand inadvertently using the card one time, but I have four charges here,? Pearson said. ‘Home Depot confirmed that every time it was used, they asked for ID and the card was swiped through the machine . . . It says, in embossed letters, ‘Addison Township? right on it. It’s not a question of who’s credit card it is.?
Pearson said he’s ‘shocked? multiple people used the card multiple times and ‘nobody saw Addison Township on it.?
‘I can understand maybe one mistake, but I can’t understand multiple times with different people using it,? he said.
On the morning of Feb. 20, Pearson said Koski arrived at the township offices ‘with a bag full of money? and the intention of paying off the credit card debt.
‘I was there Friday morning with $1,200 in cash,? Koski said. ‘I asked the deputy supervisor if I could pay it and she said she was instructed not to take any money. I talked to Sgt. (Robert) Brudvig (commander of the sheriff’s substation in Addison) about it and he said he can’t take any money. So, I’ve tried twice. I have an attorney who has also tried to make restitution and they have refused.?
Pearson said the township refused to accept any money from Koski because Home Depot informed him there were more charges made in February, charges for which the township has not yet received a bill.
‘I’m not going to accept payment until I know what all the bills are,? the supervisor said. ‘We don’t know the scope of this. They say there’s more bills coming and I’m not going to accept partial payment or any kind of payment until I know the scope of this.?
However, on Tuesday, Feb. 24, Alberty informed this reporter he made contact with Home Depot and there were no charges made in February.
Just to be safe, Pearson said Alberty has requested a complete history of the charge card from Home Depot.
‘We’re going to go back and make sure we haven’t paid any other bills that we shouldn’t have,? he said.