Lafayette trustee charged $36K to home improvement stores
EDITOR’S Take note: This is one of various experiences on court docket-requested launch of Fairfield Township’s credit score card data and what these credit card statements expose. However, Trustee Taletha Coles did not turn above the receipts for the credit rating credit rating card buys and there are missing statements..
LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Fairfield Township Trustee Taletha Coles chalked up her $113,259 in credit rating card expenses over 3 several years to her renovations at the township’s business office on Wabash Avenue, but only $36,691.51 can be immediately tied to property improvement purchases.
A Journal & Courier’s ongoing assessment of the court-ordered launch of the township’s credit card statements confirmed that in between January 2019 and July 2021, Coles charged $36,691.51 to regional dwelling advancement suppliers, as very well as to Just Blinds, Best Purchase, and Cork Floors.
Nonetheless, there are numerous months that do not have credit score card statements, and there are statements that are only two pages. The files suggest there are several lacking pages that were not provided to the community.
The Journal & Courier emailed Coles for remark about the spending, including additional than $2,000 of buys at Finest Get in March 2020. Coles did not respond.
In May well 2019, Coles billed $984 to Just Blinds, presumably for the township’s office. She also billed extra than $1,300 that month to National Organization Furnishings. 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 indicate other charges to shops that could drive the renovation totals even higher, but without the need of the receipts, which the J&C requested, there’s no way to get a extra accurate accounting.
The Indiana Point out Law enforcement and the State Board of Accounts are investigating the township’s finances considering that Coles became trustee in January 2019.
Coles was jogging for re-election Tuesday in the Democratic main. She faced competitiveness from Fairfield Township Board users Rocky Hession and Monica Casanova.
Republican Fairfield Township trustee applicant April O’Brien is running unopposed and will face the Democratic key winner.
In the earlier, Coles blamed her high credit card spending — which include typical buys at the Lafayette Sam’s Club — on the renovations. The Journal & Courier did not consist of any Sam’s Club buys in the full claimed now because there are not indications that the Sam’s Club buys had everything to do with renovations.
Spending:Fairfield Township trustee charged $41K on credit rating card in 2021
In its Sept. 17, 2021, ask for to inspect general public paperwork, The Journal & Courier requested to inspect credit score card receipts as effectively as credit history card statements.
The Journal & Courier submitted a lawsuit on March 17, 2022, for Coles to produce the requested documents. Coles presented some month-to-month credit card statements, but there are pages missing and months lacking from individuals statements.
Achieve Ron Wilkins at [email protected]. Stick to on Twitter: @RonWilkins2.
