By Ken de la Bastide
Eight residents of financially beleaguered Liberty Township told the Howard County Commissioners Monday they are opposed to any tax levy increase.
The residents voiced their concerns after the Indiana Department of Local Government Finance (DLGF) denied a $39,000 and $15,000 excess levy appeal, sought by Trustee Linda Grove, to pay for township poor relief.
To pay for the excess tax levy, property taxes for the township would have to be increased.
Resident Bob Wylie said residents would like to see the township’s financial records audited and how Grove has been spending tax dollars.
“We don’t know if we can request a state audit,” Wylie said.
Grove did not attend the meeting.
Commissioner Dave Trine said the commissioners are looking at some issues with the operation of the trustee’s office. “We don’t know the answers,” he said. “We’re trying to get some answers.”
Wylie said Grove erected 600 feet of plastic fencing around the Freeman Cemetery, and paid her husband, Ken, to install it.
He said Grove spent $11,000 on fencing for the Lamb Cemetery.
Residents wanted to know if lawn-mowing equipment was purchased by the township or was owned by the trustee, and whether the township paid for a pole barn on Grove’s property.
Resident Mike Williams said reports on the township’s spending has raised alarm bells in the community.
He asked the commissioner’s to direct residents where they should be voicing concerns.
In denying Grove’s appeal, the DLGF noted the township should have had more money than was spent for township relief in 2009 and criticized administrative spending.
That spending included $5,400 paid to Grove’s husband for rent for an office, and $4,200 paid to Ken Grove for cemetery care – in addition to $15,000 budgeted for care of cemeteries.
Sheriff Marty Talbert said he visited the Freeman Cemetery and doubted it needed the lawn cut twice a year. Talbert said the inmate work crew could do the work for $90 a year.
“Plastic fencing is expensive,” Talbert said. “There is no public access to the cemetery. Why would you need a fancy fence when the cemetery sits back off the road?”
Wylie said he volunteered to mow the cemetery at no cost and cut it once in 2009. He said Grove sent him a letter stating he would be arrested if he went on the property again.
Talbert said he saw a copy of the letter and told Wylie he would not be arrested by the Sheriff’s Department.
Auditor Ann Wells said the Indiana State Board of Accounts does an audit every two years, but didn’t know when Liberty Township is scheduled for the next audit.
She said each township trustee is required to publish expenditures for the year in January.
County Attorney Larry Murrell said the commissioner’s have no authority over the township trustee, which are separately elected offices.
Grove in December asked the commissioners for a $10,000 loan. She said at the time the poor relief fund was $5,400 in the red, and she was using money intended to pay the contract with the Greentown Volunteer Fire Department.
“That loan is still pending,” Murrell said. “The commissioners can request an audit.”
Resident Ron Fowler said residents know the trustee is out of money, but don’t know why.
“If you’re out of money, you don’t build fences,” he said.
• Ken de la Bastide is enterprise editor of the Kokomo Tribune. Contact him at ken.delabastide@kokomotribune.com or 765-454-8580.
