Trustee charged $36K to home improvement stores — presumably for renovations
EDITOR’S Note: This is 1 of various reports on court docket-requested launch of Fairfield Township’s credit rating card data and what these credit score card statements reveal. Nevertheless, Trustee Taletha Coles did not transform around the receipts for the credit credit history card buys and there are missing statements..
LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Fairfield Township Trustee Taletha Coles chalked up her $113,259 in credit rating card rates in excess of a few years to her renovations at the township’s business office on Wabash Avenue, but only $36,691.51 can be right tied to property advancement purchases.
A Journal & Courier’s ongoing assessment of the court docket-purchased release of the township’s credit score card statements showed that involving January 2019 and July 2021, Coles charged $36,691.51 to neighborhood home enhancement outlets, as effectively as to Just Blinds, Best Get, and Cork Flooring.
Having said that, there are numerous months that do not have credit score card statements, and there are statements that are only two webpages. The paperwork show there are a number of lacking internet pages that had been not provided to the general public.
The Journal & Courier emailed Coles for remark about the shelling out, which includes a lot more than $2,000 of purchases at Best Acquire in March 2020. Coles did not respond.
In May 2019, Coles billed $984 to Just Blinds, presumably for the township’s office. She also billed extra than $1,300 that month to Nationwide Business Home 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 show other expenses to stores that could possibly drive the renovation totals even increased, but without the need of the receipts, which the J&C requested, you will find no way to get a much more precise accounting.
The Indiana Condition Police and the Point out Board of Accounts are investigating the township’s funds due to the fact Coles grew to become trustee in January 2019.
Coles was operating for re-election Tuesday in the Democratic major. She confronted opposition from Fairfield Township Board customers Rocky Hession and Monica Casanova.
Republican Fairfield Township trustee applicant April O’Brien is running unopposed and will face the Democratic primary winner.
In the earlier, Coles blamed her superior credit card spending — including regular buys at the Lafayette Sam’s Club — on the renovations. The Journal & Courier did not include things like any Sam’s Club purchases in the whole reported now for the reason that there are not indications that the Sam’s Club purchases experienced nearly anything to do with renovations.
Paying: Fairfield Township trustee billed $41K on credit rating card in 2021
In its Sept. 17, 2021, ask for to inspect general public documents, The Journal & Courier requested to examine credit score card receipts as perfectly as credit rating card statements.
The Journal & Courier filed a lawsuit on March 17, 2022, for Coles to produce the requested documents. Coles offered some month-to-month credit score card statements, but there are pages lacking and months lacking from these statements.
Arrive at Ron Wilkins at [email protected]. Stick to on Twitter: @RonWilkins2.
This posting initially appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Lafayette trustee billed $36K to property enhancement suppliers
