TOWNSHIP FUNDING IN LIMBO: Ashland trustee pleads not guilty By Keith Rhoades krhoades@reporter-times July 13, 2013 MARTINSVILLE-- THE REPORTER-TIMES Ashland Township Trustee Sandra Norman pleaded not guilty during an initial hearing Friday morning to charges that allege she failed to file reports with the state. Morgan County Magistrate Court Judge Brian Williams told Norman that one charge is a class B infraction while the second is a class C infraction. Conviction on the charges would not result in any jail time, but Norman could face up to $1,500 in fines and she would lose her elected position as township trustee. According to the probable cause affidavit, Norman allegedly failed to file the annual trustee report and the form that lists compensation of officers and employees for 2012 with the state. The state is asking Norman to reimburse the township $7,860.23. In a quiet voice, Norman pleaded not guilty to the charges and told Williams she was hiring her own attorney. As she left the court, Norman declined to comment about either the charges or her performance as the trustee. The Indiana State Board of Accounts conducted an audit of the Ashland township trustee’s 2011 expenses. The audit showed $5,966 paid directly to Norman as reimbursements for utilities, supplies, mileage and other expenses without proper documentation. It showed $1,894.23 paid to others without proper documentation. Norman replaced her mother, Dorothy Brummett, as trustee in November 2010. The audit of Ashland Township in 2010 also showed irregularities. A note from Norman at the end of that audit said she was remedying the situation she had inherited. In 2011, which was Norman’s first full year as trustee, she failed to file a budget or a salary resolution with the state. She was paid $6,250 as salary for 2011. Also listed in the audit as receiving salaries for that year were: Travis Norman, clerk, $1,000; Brenda Scott, board member, $2,500; Kevin Wheeler, board member, $1,000. The township also did not comply with directives of the Internal Revenue Service by failing to remit income tax and Social Security and Medicare withholdings for 2011. Also, the employer share of Social Security and Medicare was not paid. There was a similar comment in the prior report. The Indiana Department of Revenue has filed 12 tax warrants against the township alleging the failure to remit state withholding monies. Not all minutes of meetings of the governing body were available for examination, according to the audit. May 2011’s were the only minutes provided for examination. Devoney Collins, treasurer for the Ashland and Adams Fire Department, said the department has not received any money from Norman for providing fire coverage for this year. The township, which is all volunteer, provides fire and ambulance coverage for their area. She said they are covering their financial shortfall by conducting fund raising events. She said they will still continue to cover both townships. Collins, who also works for the Eminence School System was concerned people who need help are not able to get it. Barbara Parks attended the hearing. Parks said she was Norman’s clerk for 2012. Parks said she had tried to contact Norman to see if she was still going to be the clerk but was unsuccessful. Norman’s case is pending in Morgan County Superior Court I.
Posted on: Tue, 16 Jul 2013 15:43:36 +0000
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