EDITOR’S Notice: This is 1 of various experiences on court-requested release of Fairfield Township’s credit rating card information and what these credit score card statements reveal. However, Trustee Taletha Coles did not change above the receipts for the credit history credit card buys and there are missing statements..
LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Fairfield Township Trustee Taletha Coles chalked up her $113,259 in credit rating card costs in excess of a few a long time to her renovations at the township’s office on Wabash Avenue, but only $36,691.51 can be right tied to home improvement buys.
A Journal & Courier’s ongoing assessment of the court-ordered release of the township’s credit card statements confirmed that amongst January 2019 and July 2021, Coles charged $36,691.51 to neighborhood residence enhancement merchants, as nicely as to Just Blinds, Most effective Obtain, and Cork Flooring.
Even so, there are a number of months that do not have credit rating card statements, and there are statements that are only two internet pages. The documents show there are various lacking pages that were not furnished to the public.
The Journal & Courier emailed Coles for comment about the shelling out, which include extra than $2,000 of purchases at Finest Buy in March 2020. Coles did not respond.
In May perhaps 2019, Coles billed $984 to Just Blinds, presumably for the township’s workplace. She also charged more than $1,300 that thirty day period to Nationwide Company Home furniture. In June 2019, Coles billed $2,652.59 to Cork Flooring and $700 to Kirklands in Lafayette.
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The credit rating card statements show other prices to suppliers that may well thrust the renovation totals even higher, but without having the receipts, which the J&C requested, there’s no way to get a a lot more correct accounting.
The Indiana Condition Police and the Condition Board of Accounts are investigating the township’s funds due to the fact Coles turned trustee in January 2019.
Coles was managing for re-election Tuesday in the Democratic principal. She faced competitors from Fairfield Township Board customers Rocky Hession and Monica Casanova.
Republican Fairfield Township trustee candidate April O’Brien is working unopposed and will experience the Democratic principal winner.
In the earlier, Coles blamed her significant credit rating card paying out — which includes standard buys at the Lafayette Sam’s Club — on the renovations. The Journal & Courier did not contain any Sam’s Club buys in the overall described right now because there are not indications that the Sam’s Club purchases had just about anything to do with renovations.
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In its Sept. 17, 2021, request to examine general public paperwork, The Journal & Courier requested to inspect credit rating card receipts as well as credit card statements.
The Journal & Courier submitted a lawsuit on March 17, 2022, for Coles to create the asked for files. Coles delivered some month to month credit score card statements, but there are internet pages missing and months missing from individuals statements.
Attain Ron Wilkins at rwilkins@jconline.com. Follow on Twitter: @RonWilkins2.
This report initially appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Lafayette trustee charged $36K to dwelling improvement merchants