Trustee charged $36K to home improvement stores — presumably for renovations
EDITOR’S Be aware: This is one particular of a number of studies on courtroom-requested launch of Fairfield Township’s credit history card documents and what these credit card statements expose. Nevertheless, Trustee Taletha Coles did not convert around the receipts for the credit score credit score card purchases and there are missing statements..
LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Fairfield Township Trustee Taletha Coles chalked up her $113,259 in credit card fees above 3 years to her renovations at the township’s workplace on Wabash Avenue, but only $36,691.51 can be directly tied to residence advancement buys.
A Journal & Courier’s ongoing critique of the courtroom-ordered launch of the township’s credit card statements showed that in between January 2019 and July 2021, Coles billed $36,691.51 to local property enhancement shops, as properly as to Just Blinds, Very best Buy, and Cork Floors.
On the other hand, there are various months that do not have credit rating card statements, and there are statements that are only two web pages. The paperwork indicate there are various missing internet pages that were not presented to the general public.
The Journal & Courier emailed Coles for comment about the shelling out, which include much more than $2,000 of purchases at Greatest Obtain in March 2020. Coles did not reply.
In May perhaps 2019, Coles billed $984 to Just Blinds, presumably for the township’s office. She also billed more than $1,300 that thirty day period to National Business enterprise Furniture. In June 2019, Coles charged $2,652.59 to Cork Flooring and $700 to Kirklands in Lafayette.
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The credit rating card statements reveal other costs to merchants that could possibly drive the renovation totals even bigger, but without the need of the receipts, which the J&C requested, you can find no way to get a extra exact accounting.
The Indiana Point out Police and the State Board of Accounts are investigating the township’s funds considering the fact that Coles turned trustee in January 2019.
Coles was jogging for re-election Tuesday in the Democratic most important. She confronted competitors from Fairfield Township Board users Rocky Hession and Monica Casanova.
Republican Fairfield Township trustee prospect April O’Brien is working unopposed and will experience the Democratic most important winner.
In the past, Coles blamed her high credit history card expending — such as regular buys at the Lafayette Sam’s Club — on the renovations. The Journal & Courier did not include things like any Sam’s Club buys in the complete described these days because there are not indications that the Sam’s Club buys experienced nearly anything to do with renovations.
Shelling out: Fairfield Township trustee charged $41K on credit card in 2021
In its Sept. 17, 2021, ask for to examine public paperwork, The Journal & Courier asked for to examine credit history card receipts as well as credit score card statements.
The Journal & Courier filed a lawsuit on March 17, 2022, for Coles to produce the asked for paperwork. Coles furnished some month-to-month credit history card statements, but there are web pages lacking and months missing from these statements.
Access Ron Wilkins at [email protected]. Comply with on Twitter: @RonWilkins2.
This article at first appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Lafayette trustee billed $36K to household advancement merchants
