After three months of investigation, Supervisor Dave Wagner was cleared of all charges concerning ‘unauthorized compensation? in connection with the new township hall.
‘I am very pleased to say the investigation is now over,? Wagner said. ‘The Oakland County Prosecutors office found no wrong doing or criminal intent of my actions.?
In July, Independence Township Board of Trustees voted 6-1 to authorize the clerk to contact the Michigan Department of Treasury or Michigan State Police to investigate Wagner. They wanted to know if he had the right to pay Building Department Director David Belcher without board approval a total of $3,000 for his work on the hall.
According to Wagner, after the attorney general’s office reviewed the case, they sent it to state police, who in turn sent to the Oakland County Prosecutor’s office.
‘The Oakland County Prosecutor’s office did a long exhaustive research on this, just to make sure there was nothing,? he said. ‘I’m very pleased that they have done this.?
Clerk Shelagh VanderVeen said she was told by lead invesigator Sgt. Dirk Finely of the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office, the reason the prosecutor was not pressing charges was because “they could not prove the intention to defraud.”
Finley could not be reached for comment.
Wagner feels this is nothing than a personal vendetta against his office and him personally by an individual on the township board.
‘It’s time to get down to business. Township business has been brought to a stand still and this foolishness has to come to an end,? Wagner said. ‘If this person’s intent is to carry on for the next three and half years like this, I would suggest they resign because it’s not healthy for this community.?