Brandon Twp.- It wasn’t a knockout punch, but a 5-2 decision has ended a months-long dispute between the township clerk and treasurer over the check policy.
At the board meeting June 20, supervisor Ron Lapp, clerk Jeannie McCreery and trustees Bob DeWitt, Tom Stowell and Sandra Willett voted to amend section 3.2 (a) of the existing check policy. Treasurer Linda Owen and trustee Charlene Carlson voted against the new language.
DeWitt and Stowell amended and made additions to what the clerk and treasurer both agreed was ‘ambiguous? language in the warrant reports section of the check policy.
‘I am hopeful this will take care of the problem,? Lapp said. ‘A lot of time and money has been wasted on this. We all have a responsibility to safeguard the taxpayers.?
Hundreds of dollars of taxpayers? money has been spent on attorney and auditor fees since January when Owen began requesting original invoices be sent to her office for viewing. McCreery declined, saying original invoices were available for viewing, but should not leave the clerk’s office since she is responsible for keeping records and needs them for audits.
McCreery signs a warrant, which must then be signed by Owen to make it a negotiable check to pay bills approved by the board. Owen then mails the check and documentation to pay vendors.
To try and reach a settlement, DeWitt and Stowell had a meeting with both the clerk and treasurer; spoke with auditors to determine if the township’s system of checks and balances was sufficient (they determined it was); discussed the issue with the local governemnt division of the state treasury (who saw it is a local policy issue to be decided by the board); and contacted 16 Oakland County townships, finding that seven give the treasurer the invoices, seven do not, one township completes the process together and one was unsure. Based on these results, it was decided to bring an amended policy to the board.
The amended policy clarifies that the board is responsible collectively for payment of bills. The clerk shall sign warrants/checks for claims approved by the board and give the checks and whatever documentation she deems appropriate to the treasurer for final processing. The policy now specifies that the treasurer shall sign checks approved by the board that the clerk has already signed, attach the documentation from the clerk and mail both checks and documentation within 48 hours.
‘I disagree with the clarification, but I will follow what was amended,? said Owen, who adds that if she has any questions regarding the original invoices now, she will ask for them at the board meetings. ‘The policy is changed from what was stated before. It’s petty politics.?
McCreery says it is the same policy the township has had for 25 years, but the ambiguous language has now been clarified so there is no question as to procedure.
‘Now I want to get on with the really important things I was elected to do,? McCreery said. ‘Instead of talking about internal problems we should talk about things we do that make an impact on the community.?