Brandon Twp.-Nearly a year after filing suit against the former library director, the library board has reached a tentative agreement with Paula Gauthier.
Board Trustee Ann Schmid announced Sept. 8 a tentative agreement that once signed by the judge, will require Gauthier to pay $92,000 to the library.
‘A down payment on the settlement amount is required, with monthly payments and interest of 2 percent on the unpaid balance,? said Schmid. ‘Until the judge signs the judgment, the case cannot and should not be considered final.?
The lawsuit initially sought more than $270,000 in damages and was filed with the Oakland County Clerk on Sept. 24, 2014, naming Paula Jo Crowfoot Gauthier as the defendant. The suit charged Gauthier with credentials fraud, fraud, and breach of fiduciary duty for claiming she had a bachelor’s degree as well as a master’s degree, when she had neither.
Gauthier was hired by the library in 2001 and was promoted to assistant director in 2005, and to director in 2006. Gauthier resigned suddenly Nov. 14, hours before she was to explain to the library board why the library had not received state aid revenue for the past five years. Bill DiSessa, a Michigan Department of Education representative, said the library was denied state aid revenue because Gauthier did not provide the college transcripts necessary for a director overseeing a class 4 library, serving a population between 12,000-26,000, and thus was not certified.
The suit initially sought to recoup from Gauthier costs related to the fraud, including excess salary paid when promoted, $121,989; retirement contribution, $60,084; loss of state aid revenue, $35,028; universal fund not received, $26,751; fundraising losses, $7,467; unearned wages or sick pay, $7,128.78; forensic audit fee, $5,000; attorney fee, $5,000; and unauthorized pay raise, $1,840.
The suit cited MCL 390.1604, which states, ?(1) An individual shall not knowingly use a false academic credential to obtain employment to obtain a promotion or higher compensation in employment; to obtain admission to a qualified institution; or in connection with any loan, business, trade, profession or occupation. (2) An individual who does not have an academic credential shall not knowingly use or claim to have that academic credential to obtain employment or a promotion or higher compensation in employment.?
Gauthier had claimed she had a master’s degree from the University of Michigan, purportedly earned in 1986, but the school had no records of her attending there. The board would later learn that while Gauthier attended Grand Valley State University, she never earned a bachelor’s degree from that school either, as she claimed she had done in 1973.
‘We felt that even though there isn’t a way to criminally charge her for credential fraud in Michigan, we felt that as a board, she hurt the library enough that we should be seeking damages,? said Schmid at the time the lawsuit was filed.
While Schmid was reluctant to comment further pending finalization of the agreement, she praised Attorney Bob DeWitt, who represented the library in the case, saying he had been a very good attorney and added that the library is looking forward to a brighter future.
‘The board of trustees is happy to be putting this behind us and moving forward with all the exciting things our new director, Rebecca Higgerson, has in store for our library,? said Schmid. ‘She is moving forward with programming and keeping us up to date… We are excited about the changes Rebecca has made. My policy in life is to keep looking forward. This (the lawsuit) is a closed door.?