An Odon Town Board member walked out of this week’s regular board meeting just minutes into the meeting.
The meeting Monday began with Councilman Doug Benjamin saying the council didn’t get their meeting packets from the Clerk-Treasurer until a few minutes before the 6-pm meeting. The Odon Journal quoted Benjamin saying the late delivery is unacceptable. The newspaper also reports it was not the first time the packets were handed out at the last minute. A vote was taken and passed 2 to 1 to for Clerk/Treasurer Beth Haseman to provide the packets to the council members by 4-pm on Thursday prior to a Monday board meeting. The vote against it came from board member Chuck Krieg.
The talk then turned to Clerk-Treasurer Haseman’s office which is under an independent audit. That audit was started after an audit last year found over $17,000 in late fees was owed. Those have been paid according to Town Attorney Brandon Smith. The Washington Times Herald quoted Smith as saying there is nothing criminal going on and there’s never been hint that there will be anything like that.
Some patrons at the meeting asked if legal action could be taken against Haseman. Not long after, Councilman Krieg left the meeting.
The Times-Herald says Smith will meet with board member Vernon Graber or Benjamin and call the state Attorney General’s Office to investigated options.