EDITOR’S Note: This is a single of various studies on courtroom-ordered launch of Fairfield Township’s credit card data and what these credit card statements expose. Nevertheless, Trustee Taletha Coles did not transform in excess of the receipts for the credit credit rating card buys and there are missing statements..
LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Fairfield Township Trustee Taletha Coles chalked up her $113,259 in credit score card charges over a few years to her renovations at the township’s business on Wabash Avenue, but only $36,691.51 can be straight tied to household improvement purchases.
A Journal & Courier’s ongoing evaluate of the court-requested release of the township’s credit score card statements confirmed that involving January 2019 and July 2021, Coles charged $36,691.51 to local dwelling enhancement stores, as very well as to Just Blinds, Greatest Buy, and Cork Flooring.
Nevertheless, there are quite a few months that do not have credit rating card statements, and there are statements that are only two web pages. The files suggest there are quite a few missing web pages that were not supplied to the public.
The Journal & Courier emailed Coles for comment about the paying out, together with more than $2,000 of purchases at Best Invest in in March 2020. Coles did not reply.
In May well 2019, Coles billed $984 to Just Blinds, presumably for the township’s workplace. She also billed far more than $1,300 that month to Nationwide Business 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 score card statements reveal other fees to stores that could possibly push the renovation totals even better, but devoid of the receipts, which the J&C requested, you can find no way to get a more correct accounting.
The Indiana Point out Law enforcement and the Point out Board of Accounts are investigating the township’s finances considering the fact that Coles became trustee in January 2019.
Coles was operating for re-election Tuesday in the Democratic major. She confronted competitiveness from Fairfield Township Board users Rocky Hession and Monica Casanova.
Republican Fairfield Township trustee prospect April O’Brien is managing unopposed and will face the Democratic primary winner.
In the past, Coles blamed her large credit rating card shelling out — which include common purchases at the Lafayette Sam’s Club — on the renovations. The Journal & Courier did not involve any Sam’s Club buys in the full described nowadays due to the fact there are not indications that the Sam’s Club buys experienced anything at all to do with renovations.
Paying out: Fairfield Township trustee charged $41K on credit history card in 2021
In its Sept. 17, 2021, request to examine community paperwork, The Journal & Courier asked for to examine credit score card receipts as well as credit history card statements.
The Journal & Courier filed a lawsuit on March 17, 2022, for Coles to create the requested paperwork. Coles supplied some month-to-month credit rating card statements, but there are web pages lacking and months missing from those statements.
Arrive at Ron Wilkins at [email protected] Abide by on Twitter: @RonWilkins2.
This posting initially appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Lafayette trustee charged $36K to house improvement outlets