EDITOR’S Observe: This is a single of quite a few reports on court-ordered launch of Fairfield Township’s credit rating card documents and what these credit score card statements reveal. Having said that, Trustee Taletha Coles did not change above the receipts for the credit score credit rating card purchases 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 3 several years to her renovations at the township’s place of work on Wabash Avenue, but only $36,691.51 can be instantly tied to house enhancement buys.
A Journal & Courier’s ongoing overview of the court-requested launch of the township’s credit rating card statements confirmed that concerning January 2019 and July 2021, Coles charged $36,691.51 to regional dwelling improvement outlets, as perfectly as to Just Blinds, Best Obtain, and Cork Floors.
Nonetheless, there are quite a few months that do not have credit card statements, and there are statements that are only two pages. The paperwork show there are quite a few lacking pages that were not supplied to the community.
The Journal & Courier emailed Coles for remark about the paying out, like extra than $2,000 of buys at Very best Obtain in March 2020. Coles did not answer.
In May possibly 2019, Coles charged $984 to Just Blinds, presumably for the township’s office environment. She also charged far more than $1,300 that month to Countrywide Organization Home furniture. In June 2019, Coles billed $2,652.59 to Cork Floors and $700 to Kirklands in Lafayette.
A lot more on Taletha Coles: Fairfield Township taxpayers funding trustee’s meditation, massages, on the web learning
The credit history card statements suggest other fees to merchants that could force the renovation totals even increased, but with no the receipts, which the J&C requested, there is no way to get a additional accurate accounting.
The Indiana Point out Police and the Point out Board of Accounts are investigating the township’s funds considering the fact that Coles became trustee in January 2019.
Coles was jogging for re-election Tuesday in the Democratic main. She confronted level of competition from Fairfield Township Board members Rocky Hession and Monica Casanova.
Republican Fairfield Township trustee applicant April O’Brien is running unopposed and will encounter the Democratic major winner.
In the earlier, Coles blamed her high credit card shelling out — which includes standard purchases at the Lafayette Sam’s Club — on the renovations. The Journal & Courier did not contain any Sam’s Club buys in the total noted these days since there are not indications that the Sam’s Club buys experienced something to do with renovations.
Expending: Fairfield Township trustee charged $41K on credit card in 2021
In its Sept. 17, 2021, ask for to inspect general public files, The Journal & Courier asked for to inspect credit rating card receipts as properly as credit score card statements.
The Journal & Courier filed a lawsuit on March 17, 2022, for Coles to make the asked for documents. Coles supplied some regular credit rating card statements, but there are web pages missing and months missing from all those statements.
Attain Ron Wilkins at [email protected]. Abide by on Twitter: @RonWilkins2.
This short article at first appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Lafayette trustee charged $36K to house advancement retailers