EDITOR’S Be aware: This is one of a number of reports on courtroom-ordered launch of Fairfield Township’s credit history card information and what these credit history card statements expose. Even so, Trustee Taletha Coles did not convert over the receipts for the credit history credit card purchases and there are missing statements..
LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Fairfield Township Trustee Taletha Coles chalked up her $113,259 in credit rating card costs around three a long time to her renovations at the township’s workplace on Wabash Avenue, but only $36,691.51 can be instantly tied to residence enhancement purchases.
A Journal & Courier’s ongoing assessment of the court-ordered release of the township’s credit rating card statements showed that among January 2019 and July 2021, Coles billed $36,691.51 to community home advancement suppliers, as perfectly as to Just Blinds, Best Get, and Cork Flooring.
Nonetheless, there are several months that do not have credit score card statements, and there are statements that are only two webpages. The documents reveal there are many missing internet pages that were not provided to the general public.
The Journal & Courier emailed Coles for comment about the paying out, like far more than $2,000 of purchases at Best Invest in in March 2020. Coles did not reply.
In May possibly 2019, Coles billed $984 to Just Blinds, presumably for the township’s business office. She also charged far more than $1,300 that thirty day period to Nationwide Enterprise Home furnishings. In June 2019, Coles billed $2,652.59 to Cork Floors and $700 to Kirklands in Lafayette.
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The credit card statements indicate other expenses to suppliers that may possibly press the renovation totals even better, but without the need of the receipts, which the J&C requested, there is certainly no way to get a extra accurate accounting.
The Indiana Point out Police and the State Board of Accounts are investigating the township’s finances since Coles grew to become trustee in January 2019.
Coles was operating for re-election Tuesday in the Democratic principal. She faced competitiveness from Fairfield Township Board users Rocky Hession and Monica Casanova.
Republican Fairfield Township trustee candidate April O’Brien is running unopposed and will face the Democratic most important winner.
In the earlier, Coles blamed her high credit score card spending — like normal buys at the Lafayette Sam’s Club — on the renovations. The Journal & Courier did not incorporate any Sam’s Club purchases in the whole noted right now for the reason that there are not indications that the Sam’s Club buys experienced everything to do with renovations.
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In its Sept. 17, 2021, request to inspect community paperwork, The Journal & Courier asked for to inspect credit history card receipts as effectively as credit history card statements.
The Journal & Courier filed a lawsuit on March 17, 2022, for Coles to produce the asked for paperwork. Coles delivered some regular credit score card statements, but there are internet pages missing and months missing from those statements.
Attain Ron Wilkins at [email protected] Stick to on Twitter: @RonWilkins2.